Single-cell analysis of germinal-center B cells informs on lymphoma cell of origin and outcome

J Exp Med. 2020 Oct 5;217(10):e20200483. doi: 10.1084/jem.20200483.

Abstract

In response to T cell-dependent antigens, mature B cells are stimulated to form germinal centers (GCs), the sites of B cell affinity maturation and the cell of origin (COO) of most B cell lymphomas. To explore the dynamics of GC B cell development beyond the known dark zone and light zone compartments, we performed single-cell (sc) transcriptomic analysis on human GC B cells and identified multiple functionally linked subpopulations, including the distinct precursors of memory B cells and plasma cells. The gene expression signatures associated with these GC subpopulations were effective in providing a sc-COO for ∼80% of diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) and identified novel prognostic subgroups of DLBCL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocytes / pathology*
  • Cell Lineage
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Germinal Center / metabolism
  • Germinal Center / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma / metabolism
  • Lymphoma / pathology*
  • Single-Cell Analysis