Natural Antibodies Alert the Adaptive Immune System of the Presence of Transformed Cells in Early Tumorigenesis

Recent studies have revealed a critical role for natural Abs (NAbs) in antitumor immune responses. However, the role of NAbs in cancer immunosurveillance remains unexplored, mainly because of the lack of in vivo models that mimic the early recognition and elimination of transforming cells. In this article, we propose a role for NAbs in alerting the immune system against precancerous neoantigen-expressing cells immediately after they escape intrinsic tumor suppression mechanisms. We identify four distinct reproducible, trackable, MHC-matched neoantigen-expressing cell models that do not form tumors as the end point. This amplified readout in the critical window prior to tumor formation allows investigation of new mediators of cancer immunosurveillance. We found that neoantigen-expressing cells adoptively transferred in NAb-deficient mice persisted, whereas they were eliminated in wild -type mice, indicating that the circulating NAb repertoire alerts the immune system to the presence of transformed cells. Moreover, immunity is mounted against immunogenic and nonimmunogenic neoantigens contained in the NAb-tagged cells, regardless of whether the NAb directly recognizes the neoantigens. Beyond these neoantigen-expressing model systems, we observed a significantly greater tumor burden in chemically and virally induced tumor models in NAb-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. Restoration of the NAb repertoire in NAb-deficient mice elicited the recognition and elimination of neoantigen-expressing cells and cancer. These data show that NAbs are required and sufficient for elimination of transformed cells early in tumorigenesis. These models can now be used to investigate how NAbs stimulate immunity via recognition receptors to eliminate precancerous cells. The Journal of Immunology , 2022, 209: 1252-1259.

Automated summary

Recent studies have revealed the critical role of natural antibodies (NAbs) in antitumor immune responses. However, the role of NAbs in cancer immunosurveillance has not been explored due to the lack of in vivo models. In this article, the authors propose a role for NAbs in alerting the immune system against precancerous neoantigen-expressing cells. Four reproducible neoantigen-expressing cell models are identified, allowing investigation of cancer immunosurveillance mediators. The presence of NAbs is essential for the elimination of transformed cells and immunity against neoantigens. Additionally, NAb-deficient mice show a greater tumor burden in chemically and virally induced tumor models. Restoration of NAb repertoire leads to the recognition and elimination of neoantigen-expressing cells and cancer.