Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is characterized by high recurrence or distant metastases rate and the prognosis is challenging. There is mounting evidence that tumor-infiltrating B cells (TIL-Bs) have a crucial, synergistic role in tumor control. However, little is known about the role TIL-Bs play in immune microenvironment and the way TIL-Bs affect the outcome of immune checkpoint blockade. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, the study identified distinct gene expression patterns in TIL-Bs. HNSCC samples were categorized into TIL-Bs inhibition and TIL-Bs activation groups using unsupervised clustering. This classification was further validated with TCGA HNSCC data, correlating with patient prognosis, immune cell infiltration, and response to immunotherapy. We found that the B cells activation group exhibited a better prognosis, higher immune cell infiltration, and distinct immune checkpoint levels, including elevated PD-L1. A prognostic model was also developed and validated, highlighting four genes as potential biomarkers for predicting survival outcomes in HNSCC patients. Overall, this study provides a foundational approach for B cells-based tumor classification in HNSCC, offering insights into targeted treatment and immunotherapy strategies.

头颈鳞状细胞癌（HNSCC）具有高复发率或远处转移率的特点，预后具有挑战性。越来越多的证据表明肿瘤浸润 B 细胞 (TIL-B) 在肿瘤控制中具有至关重要的协同作用。然而，人们对 TIL-B 在免疫微环境中的作用以及 TIL-B 影响免疫检查点阻断结果的方式知之甚少。该研究利用基因表达综合 (GEO) 数据库中的单细胞 RNA 测序 (scRNA-seq) 数据，确定了 TIL-B 中不同的基因表达模式。使用无监督聚类将 HNSCC 样本分为 TIL-Bs 抑制组和 TIL-Bs 激活组。该分类得到了 TCGA HNSCC 数据的进一步验证，与患者预后、免疫细胞浸润和免疫治疗反应相关。我们发现 B 细胞激活组表现出更好的预后、更高的免疫细胞浸润和明显的免疫检查点水平，包括升高的 PD-L1。还开发并验证了一个预后模型，强调四个基因作为预测 HNSCC 患者生存结果的潜在生物标志物。总体而言，这项研究为 HNSCC 中基于 B 细胞的肿瘤分类提供了基础方法，为靶向治疗和免疫治疗策略提供了见解。