BackgroundRegulatory B cells (Bregs) are critical in regulating immune responses and fostering immune tolerance in various cancers; however, their role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is unclear. This study examined the function of Breg-related genes in HNSCC and their possible prognostic and therapeutic implications.MethodsThe Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HNSCC training cohort was used to establish a prognostic signature for Breg-related genes by applying consensus clustering, univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression, and multivariate Cox regression analyses.
Validation cohorts from the TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were used to assess the robustness of the model. This study investigated the associations among the signature and several clinicopathological features, expression of immune checkpoints, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and sensitivity to pharmacological agents.
The underlying mechanisms were examined using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Additionally, various techniques, including ESTIMATE, were used to assess immune infiltration.
Frontiers in Immunology published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 10 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on Regulatory B cell-related gene signature predicts prognosis and immune landscape in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
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