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Utkarsh K, Srivastava N, Kumar S, Khan A, Dagar G, Kumar M, Singh M, Haque S. CAR-T cell therapy: a game-changer in cancer treatment and beyond. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:1300-1318. [PMID: 38244129 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03368-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, cancer has become one of the primary causes of mortality, approximately 10 million deaths worldwide each year. The most advanced, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapy has turned out as a promising treatment for cancer. CAR-T cell therapy involves the genetic modification of T cells obtained from the patient's blood, and infusion back to the patients. CAR-T cell immunotherapy has led to a significant improvement in the remission rates of hematological cancers. CAR-T cell therapy presently limited to hematological cancers, there are ongoing efforts to develop additional CAR constructs such as bispecific CAR, tandem CAR, inhibitory CAR, combined antigens, CRISPR gene-editing, and nanoparticle delivery. With these advancements, CAR-T cell therapy holds promise concerning potential to improve upon traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation while reducing associated toxicities. This review covers recent advances and advantages of CAR-T cell immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumar Utkarsh
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Namita Srivastava
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Sachin Kumar
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Azhar Khan
- Faculty of Applied Science and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Gunjan Dagar
- Department of Medical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Mayank Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Shabirul Haque
- Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350, Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA.
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2
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Ramapriyan R, Vykunta VS, Vandecandelaere G, Richardson LGK, Sun J, Curry WT, Choi BD. Altered cancer metabolism and implications for next-generation CAR T-cell therapies. Pharmacol Ther 2024; 259:108667. [PMID: 38763321 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2024.108667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
This review critically examines the evolving landscape of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in treating solid tumors, with a particular focus on the metabolic challenges within the tumor microenvironment. CAR T-cell therapy has demonstrated remarkable success in hematologic malignancies, yet its efficacy in solid tumors remains limited. A significant barrier is the hostile milieu of the tumor microenvironment, which impairs CAR T-cell survival and function. This review delves into the metabolic adaptations of cancer cells and their impact on immune cells, highlighting the competition for nutrients and the accumulation of immunosuppressive metabolites. It also explores emerging strategies to enhance CAR T-cell metabolic fitness and persistence, including genetic engineering and metabolic reprogramming. An integrated approach, combining metabolic interventions with CAR T-cell therapy, has the potential to overcome these constraints and improve therapeutic outcomes in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishab Ramapriyan
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Vivasvan S Vykunta
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; ImmunoX Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Gust Vandecandelaere
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Leland G K Richardson
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jing Sun
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - William T Curry
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bryan D Choi
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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3
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Satapathy BP, Sheoran P, Yadav R, Chettri D, Sonowal D, Dash CP, Dhaka P, Uttam V, Yadav R, Jain M, Jain A. The synergistic immunotherapeutic impact of engineered CAR-T cells with PD-1 blockade in lymphomas and solid tumors: a systematic review. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1389971. [PMID: 38799440 PMCID: PMC11116574 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1389971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor-T Cell (CAR-T) and immune checkpoint inhibitors like programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) blockers are showing promising results for numerous cancer patients. However, significant advancements are required before CAR-T therapies become readily available as off-the-shelf treatments, particularly for solid tumors and lymphomas. In this review, we have systematically analyzed the combination therapy involving engineered CAR-T cells and anti PD-1 agents. This approach aims at overcoming the limitations of current treatments and offers potential advantages such as enhanced tumor inhibition, alleviated T-cell exhaustion, heightened T-cell activation, and minimized toxicity. The integration of CAR-T therapy, which targets tumor-associated antigens, with PD-1 blockade augments T-cell function and mitigates immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment. To assess the impact of combination therapy on various tumors and lymphomas, we categorized them based on six major tumor-associated antigens: mesothelin, disialoganglioside GD-2, CD-19, CD-22, CD-133, and CD-30, which are present in different tumor types. We evaluated the efficacy, complete and partial responses, and progression-free survival in both pre-clinical and clinical models. Additionally, we discussed potential implications, including the feasibility of combination immunotherapies, emphasizing the importance of ongoing research to optimize treatment strategies and improve outcomes for cancer patients. Overall, we believe combining CAR-T therapy with PD-1 blockade holds promise for the next generation of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bibhu Prasad Satapathy
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Pooja Sheoran
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Rohit Yadav
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Dewan Chettri
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Dhruba Sonowal
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Chinmayee Priyadarsini Dash
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Prachi Dhaka
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Vivek Uttam
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Ritu Yadav
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Manju Jain
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Aklank Jain
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
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4
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Jilani S, Saco JD, Mugarza E, Pujol-Morcillo A, Chokry J, Ng C, Abril-Rodriguez G, Berger-Manerio D, Pant A, Hu J, Gupta R, Vega-Crespo A, Baselga-Carretero I, Chen JM, Shin DS, Scumpia P, Radu RA, Chen Y, Ribas A, Puig-Saus C. CAR-T cell therapy targeting surface expression of TYRP1 to treat cutaneous and rare melanoma subtypes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1244. [PMID: 38336975 PMCID: PMC10858182 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45221-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
A major limitation to developing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies for solid tumors is identifying surface proteins highly expressed in tumors but not in normal tissues. Here, we identify Tyrosinase Related Protein 1 (TYRP1) as a CAR-T cell therapy target to treat patients with cutaneous and rare melanoma subtypes unresponsive to immune checkpoint blockade. TYRP1 is primarily located intracellularly in the melanosomes, with a small fraction being trafficked to the cell surface via vesicular transport. We develop a highly sensitive CAR-T cell therapy that detects surface TYRP1 in tumor cells with high TYRP1 overexpression and presents antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo in murine and patient-derived cutaneous, acral and uveal melanoma models. Furthermore, no systemic or off-tumor severe toxicities are observed in an immunocompetent murine model. The efficacy and safety profile of the TYRP1 CAR-T cell therapy supports the ongoing preparation of a phase I clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameeha Jilani
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Justin D Saco
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Edurne Mugarza
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aleida Pujol-Morcillo
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Chokry
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Clement Ng
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gabriel Abril-Rodriguez
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David Berger-Manerio
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ami Pant
- UCLA Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jane Hu
- UCLA Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rubi Gupta
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Agustin Vega-Crespo
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ignacio Baselga-Carretero
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jia M Chen
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Sanghoon Shin
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center-UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Philip Scumpia
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System-West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Roxana A Radu
- UCLA Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yvonne Chen
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center-UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Broad Stem Cell Research Center-UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center-UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Broad Stem Cell Research Center-UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cristina Puig-Saus
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center-UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Broad Stem Cell Research Center-UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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5
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Partin AC, Bruno R, Shafaattalab S, Vander Mause E, Winters A, Daris M, Gahrs C, Jette CA, DiAndreth B, Sandberg ML, Hamburger AE, Kamb A, Riley TP. Geometric parameters that affect the behavior of logic-gated CAR T cells. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1304765. [PMID: 38343543 PMCID: PMC10853413 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1304765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Clinical applications of CAR-T cells are limited by the scarcity of tumor-specific targets and are often afflicted with the same on-target/off-tumor toxicities that plague other cancer treatments. A new promising strategy to enforce tumor selectivity is the use of logic-gated, two-receptor systems. One well-described application is termed Tmod™, which originally utilized a blocking inhibitory receptor directed towards HLA-I target antigens to create a protective NOT gate. Here we show that the function of Tmod blockers targeting non-HLA-I antigens is dependent on the height of the blocker antigen and is generally compatible with small, membrane-proximal targets. We compensate for this apparent limitation by incorporating modular hinge units to artificially extend or retract the ligand-binding domains relative to the effector cell surface, thereby modulating Tmod activator and blocker function. By accounting for structural differences between activator and blocker targets, we developed a set of simple geometric parameters for Tmod receptor design that enables targeting of blocker antigens beyond HLA-I, thereby broadening the applications of logic-gated cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Alexander Kamb
- A2 Biotherapeutics, Inc., Agoura Hills, CA, United States
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6
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Taheri FH, Hassani M, Sharifzadeh Z, Behdani M, Abdoli S, Sayadi M, Bagherzadeh K, Arashkia A, Abolhassani M. Tuning spacer length improves the functionality of the nanobody-based VEGFR2 CAR T cell. BMC Biotechnol 2024; 24:1. [PMID: 38178096 PMCID: PMC10768260 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-023-00827-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T (CAR-T) cells for cancer immunotherapy have obtained considerable clinical importance. CAR T cells need an optimized intracellular signaling domain to get appropriately activated and also for the proper antigen recognition, the length and composition of the extracellular spacer are critical factors. RESULTS We constructed two third-generation nanobody-based VEGFR2-CARs containing either IgG1 hinge-CH2-CH3 region or hinge-only as long or short extracellular spacers, respectively. Both CARs also contained intracellular activating domains of CD28, OX40, and CD3ζ. The T cells from healthy individuals were transduced efficiently with the two CARs, and showed increased secretion of IL-2 and IFN-γ cytokines, and also CD69 and CD25 activation markers along with cytolytic activity after encountering VEGFR2+ cells. The VEGFR2-CAR T cells harboring the long spacer showed higher cytokine release and CD69 and CD25 expression in addition to a more efficient cytolytic effect on VEGFR2+ target cells. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrated that the third-generation anti-VEGFR2 nanobody-based CAR T cell with a long spacer had a superior function and potentially could be a better candidate for solid tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Hajari Taheri
- Hybridoma Lab, Department of Immunology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
- Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center (FDLRC), Iran Food and Drug Administration (IFDA), MOH & ME, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Hassani
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Sharifzadeh
- Hybridoma Lab, Department of Immunology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Behdani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahryar Abdoli
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Golestan University of Medical Science, Gorgān, Iran
| | - Mahtab Sayadi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Kowsar Bagherzadeh
- Eye Research Center, Five Senses Health Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arash Arashkia
- Department of Molecular Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Abolhassani
- Hybridoma Lab, Department of Immunology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
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7
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Khodke P, Kumbhar BV. Engineered CAR-T cells: An immunotherapeutic approach for cancer treatment and beyond. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2024; 140:157-198. [PMID: 38762269 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a type of adoptive immunotherapy that offers a promising avenue for enhancing cancer treatment since traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy have proven insufficient in completely eradicating tumors, despite the relatively positive outcomes. It has been observed that CAR-T cell therapy has shown promising results in treating the majority of hematological malignancies but also have a wide scope for other cancer types. CAR is an extra receptor on the T-cell that helps to increase and accelerate tumor destruction by efficiently activating the immune system. It is made up of three domains, the ectodomain, transmembrane, and the endodomain. The ectodomain is essential for antigen recognition and binding, whereas the co-stimulatory signal is transduced by the endodomain. To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for six CAR-T cell therapies. However, despite its remarkable success, CAR-T therapy is associated with numerous adverse events and has certain limitations. This chapter focuses on the structure and function of the CAR domain, various generations of CAR, and the process of CAR-T cell development, adverse effects, and challenges in CAR-T therapy. CAR-T cell therapy also has scopes in other disease conditions which include systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and myocardial fibrosis, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purva Khodke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Deemed-to-be University, Mumbai, India
| | - Bajarang Vasant Kumbhar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Deemed-to-be University, Mumbai, India.
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8
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Eskandari SK, Daccache A, Azzi JR. Chimeric antigen receptor T reg therapy in transplantation. Trends Immunol 2024; 45:48-61. [PMID: 38123369 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
In the quest for more precise and effective organ transplantation therapies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) regulatory T cell (Treg) therapies represent a potential cutting-edge advance. This review comprehensively analyses CAR Tregs and how they may address important drawbacks of polyclonal Tregs and conventional immunosuppressants. We examine a growing body of preclinical findings of CAR Treg therapy in transplantation, discuss CAR Treg design specifics, and explore established and attractive new targets in transplantation. In addition, we explore present impediments where future studies will be necessary to determine the efficacy of CAR Tregs in reshaping alloimmune responses and transplant microenvironments to reduce reliance on chemical immunosuppressants. Overall, ongoing studies and trials are crucial for understanding the full scope of CAR Treg therapy in transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siawosh K Eskandari
- Transplantation Research Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Andrea Daccache
- Transplantation Research Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Bioscience Education and Research (UFR Biosciences), Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Jamil R Azzi
- Transplantation Research Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Mc Laughlin AM, Milligan PA, Yee C, Bergstrand M. Model-informed drug development of autologous CAR-T cell therapy: Strategies to optimize CAR-T cell exposure leveraging cell kinetic/dynamic modeling. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol 2023; 12:1577-1590. [PMID: 37448343 PMCID: PMC10681459 DOI: 10.1002/psp4.13011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Autologous Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T) cell therapy has been highly successful in the treatment of aggressive hematological malignancies and is also being evaluated for the treatment of solid tumors as well as other therapeutic areas. A challenge, however, is that up to 60% of patients do not sustain a long-term response. Low CAR-T cell exposure has been suggested as an underlying factor for a poor prognosis. CAR-T cell therapy is a novel therapeutic modality with unique kinetic and dynamic properties. Importantly, "clear" dose-exposure relationships do not seem to exist for any of the currently approved CAR-T cell products. In other words, dose increases have not led to a commensurate increase in the measurable in vivo frequency of transferred CAR-T cells. Therefore, alternative approaches beyond dose titration are needed to optimize CAR-T cell exposure. In this paper, we provide examples of actionable variables - design elements in CAR-T cell discovery, development, and clinical practice, which can be modified to optimize autologous CAR-T cell exposure. Most of these actionable variables can be assessed throughout the various stages of discovery and development as part of a well-informed research and development program. Model-informed drug development approaches can enable such study and program design choices from discovery through to clinical practice and can be an important contributor to cell therapy effectiveness and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cassian Yee
- Department of Melanoma Medical OncologyThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTexasUSA
- Department of ImmunologyThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTexasUSA
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10
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Rios X, Pardias O, Morales MA, Bhattacharya P, Chen Y, Guo L, Zhang C, Di Pierro EJ, Tian G, Barragan GA, Sumazin P, Metelitsa LS. Refining chimeric antigen receptors via barcoded protein domain combination pooled screening. Mol Ther 2023; 31:3210-3224. [PMID: 37705245 PMCID: PMC10638030 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells represent a promising frontier in cancer immunotherapy. However, the current process for developing new CAR constructs is time consuming and inefficient. To address this challenge and expedite the evaluation and comparison of full-length CAR designs, we have devised a novel cloning strategy. This strategy involves the sequential assembly of individual CAR domains using blunt ligation, with each domain being assigned a unique DNA barcode. Applying this method, we successfully generated 360 CAR constructs that specifically target clinically validated tumor antigens CD19 and GD2. By quantifying changes in barcode frequencies through next-generation sequencing, we characterize CARs that best mediate proliferation and expansion of transduced T cells. The screening revealed a crucial role for the hinge domain in CAR functionality, with CD8a and IgG4 hinges having opposite effects in the surface expression, cytokine production, and antitumor activity in CD19- versus GD2-based CARs. Importantly, we discovered two novel CD19-CAR architectures containing the IgG4 hinge domain that mediate superior in vivo antitumor activity compared with the construct used in Kymriah, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapy. This novel screening approach represents a major advance in CAR engineering, enabling accelerated development of cell-based cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Rios
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Osmay Pardias
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Marc A Morales
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pradyot Bhattacharya
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yibin Chen
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linjie Guo
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chunchao Zhang
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Erica J Di Pierro
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gengwen Tian
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gabriel A Barragan
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pavel Sumazin
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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11
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Singh N, Maus MV. Synthetic manipulation of the cancer-immunity cycle: CAR-T cell therapy. Immunity 2023; 56:2296-2310. [PMID: 37820585 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic immunity to cancer has been pioneered by the application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineering into autologous T cells. CAR T cell therapy is highly amenable to molecular engineering to bypass barriers of the cancer immunity cycle, such as endogenous antigen presentation, immune priming, and natural checkpoints that constrain immune responses. Here, we review CAR T cell design and the mechanisms that drive sustained CAR T cell effector activity and anti-tumor function. We discuss engineering approaches aimed at improving anti-tumor function through a variety of mechanistic interventions for both hematologic and solid tumors. The ability to engineer T cells in such a variety of ways, including by modifying their trafficking, antigen recognition, costimulation, and addition of synthetic genes, circuits, knockouts and base edits to finely tune complex functions, is arguably the most powerful way to manipulate the cancer immunity cycle in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Singh
- Division of Oncology, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Marcela V Maus
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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12
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Xiong Y, Libby KA, Su X. The physical landscape of CAR-T synapse. Biophys J 2023:S0006-3495(23)00581-7. [PMID: 37715447 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells form dynamic immunological synapses with their cancer cell targets. After a CAR-antigen engagement, the CAR-T synapse forms, matures, and finally disassembles, accompanied by substantial remodeling of cell surface proteins, lipids, and glycans. In this review, we provide perspectives for understanding protein distribution, membrane topology, and force transmission across the CAR-T synapse. We highlight the features of CAR-T synapses that differ from T cell receptor synapses, including the disorganized protein pattern, adjustable synapse width, diverse mechano-responding properties, and resulting signaling consequences. Through a range of examples, we illustrate how revealing the biophysical nature of the CAR-T synapse could guide the design of CAR-Ts with improved anti-tumor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Xiong
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kendra A Libby
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Xiaolei Su
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
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13
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Bandara V, Foeng J, Gundsambuu B, Norton TS, Napoli S, McPeake DJ, Tyllis TS, Rohani-Rad E, Abbott C, Mills SJ, Tan LY, Thompson EJ, Willet VM, Nikitaras VJ, Zheng J, Comerford I, Johnson A, Coombs J, Oehler MK, Ricciardelli C, Cowin AJ, Bonder CS, Jensen M, Sadlon TJ, McColl SR, Barry SC. Pre-clinical validation of a pan-cancer CAR-T cell immunotherapy targeting nfP2X7. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5546. [PMID: 37684239 PMCID: PMC10491676 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41338-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapy is a novel treatment that genetically modifies the patients' own T cells to target and kill malignant cells. However, identification of tumour-specific antigens expressed on multiple solid cancer types, remains a major challenge. P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7) is a cell surface expressed ATP gated cation channel, and a dysfunctional version of P2X7, named nfP2X7, has been identified on cancer cells from multiple tissues, while being undetectable on healthy cells. We present a prototype -human CAR-T construct targeting nfP2X7 showing potential antigen-specific cytotoxicity against twelve solid cancer types (breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, brain and skin). In xenograft mouse models of breast and prostate cancer, CAR-T cells targeting nfP2X7 exhibit robust anti-tumour efficacy. These data indicate that nfP2X7 is a suitable immunotherapy target because of its broad expression on human tumours. CAR-T cells targeting nfP2X7 have potential as a wide-spectrum cancer immunotherapy for solid tumours in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Bandara
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Jade Foeng
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Batjargal Gundsambuu
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Todd S Norton
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Silvana Napoli
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Dylan J McPeake
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Timona S Tyllis
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Elaheh Rohani-Rad
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Caitlin Abbott
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Stuart J Mills
- University of South Australia, STEM (Future Industries Institute) SA, Adelaide, 5095, Australia
| | - Lih Y Tan
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Emma J Thompson
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Vasiliki M Willet
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Victoria J Nikitaras
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Jieren Zheng
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Iain Comerford
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Adam Johnson
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Justin Coombs
- Carina Biotech, Level 2 Innovation & Collaboration Centre, UniSA Bradley Building, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Martin K Oehler
- Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Carmela Ricciardelli
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Allison J Cowin
- University of South Australia, STEM (Future Industries Institute) SA, Adelaide, 5095, Australia
| | - Claudine S Bonder
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Michael Jensen
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Timothy J Sadlon
- Department of Gastroenterology, Women's and Children's Health Network, North Adelaide, SA, 5006, Australia
| | - Shaun R McColl
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Carina Biotech, Level 2 Innovation & Collaboration Centre, UniSA Bradley Building, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Simon C Barry
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
- Carina Biotech, Level 2 Innovation & Collaboration Centre, UniSA Bradley Building, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Women's and Children's Health Network, North Adelaide, SA, 5006, Australia.
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14
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Dagar G, Gupta A, Masoodi T, Nisar S, Merhi M, Hashem S, Chauhan R, Dagar M, Mirza S, Bagga P, Kumar R, Akil ASAS, Macha MA, Haris M, Uddin S, Singh M, Bhat AA. Harnessing the potential of CAR-T cell therapy: progress, challenges, and future directions in hematological and solid tumor treatments. J Transl Med 2023; 21:449. [PMID: 37420216 PMCID: PMC10327392 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04292-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional cancer treatments use nonspecific drugs and monoclonal antibodies to target tumor cells. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, however, leverages the immune system's T-cells to recognize and attack tumor cells. T-cells are isolated from patients and modified to target tumor-associated antigens. CAR-T therapy has achieved FDA approval for treating blood cancers like B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, large B-cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma by targeting CD-19 and B-cell maturation antigens. Bi-specific chimeric antigen receptors may contribute to mitigating tumor antigen escape, but their efficacy could be limited in cases where certain tumor cells do not express the targeted antigens. Despite success in blood cancers, CAR-T technology faces challenges in solid tumors, including lack of reliable tumor-associated antigens, hypoxic cores, immunosuppressive tumor environments, enhanced reactive oxygen species, and decreased T-cell infiltration. To overcome these challenges, current research aims to identify reliable tumor-associated antigens and develop cost-effective, tumor microenvironment-specific CAR-T cells. This review covers the evolution of CAR-T therapy against various tumors, including hematological and solid tumors, highlights challenges faced by CAR-T cell therapy, and suggests strategies to overcome these obstacles, such as utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing and artificial intelligence to optimize clinical-grade CAR-T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunjan Dagar
- Department of Medical Oncology (Lab.), Dr. BRAIRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Ashna Gupta
- Department of Medical Oncology (Lab.), Dr. BRAIRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Tariq Masoodi
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sabah Nisar
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Maysaloun Merhi
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, 3050, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sheema Hashem
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ravi Chauhan
- Department of Medical Oncology (Lab.), Dr. BRAIRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Manisha Dagar
- Shiley Eye Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Sameer Mirza
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Puneet Bagga
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, 182320, India
| | - Ammira S Al-Shabeeb Akil
- Department of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar
| | - Muzafar A Macha
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Mohammad Haris
- Center for Advanced Metabolic Imaging in Precision Medicine, Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
- Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Mayank Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology (Lab.), Dr. BRAIRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Delhi, 110029, India.
| | - Ajaz A Bhat
- Department of Human Genetics-Precision Medicine in Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Program, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar.
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15
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Pfeifer R, Al Rawashdeh W, Brauner J, Martinez-Osuna M, Lock D, Herbel C, Eckardt D, Assenmacher M, Bosio A, Hardt OT, Johnston ICD. Targeting Stage-Specific Embryonic Antigen 4 (SSEA-4) in Triple Negative Breast Cancer by CAR T Cells Results in Unexpected on Target/off Tumor Toxicities in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119184. [PMID: 37298141 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the paucity of targetable antigens, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a challenging subtype of breast cancer to treat. In this study, we developed and evaluated a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell-based treatment modality for TNBC by targeting stage-specific embryonic antigen 4 (SSEA-4), a glycolipid whose overexpression in TNBC has been correlated with metastasis and chemoresistance. To delineate the optimal CAR configuration, a panel of SSEA-4-specific CARs containing alternative extracellular spacer domains was constructed. The different CAR constructs mediated antigen-specific T cell activation characterized by degranulation of T cells, secretion of inflammatory cytokines, and killing of SSEA-4-expressing target cells, but the extent of this activation differed depending on the length of the spacer region. Adoptive transfer of the CAR-engineered T cells into mice with subcutaneous TNBC xenografts mediated a limited antitumor effect but induced severe toxicity symptoms in the cohort receiving the most bioactive CAR variant. We found that progenitor cells in the lung and bone marrow express SSEA-4 and are likely co-targeted by the CAR T cells. Thus, this study has revealed serious adverse effects that raise safety concerns for SSEA-4-directed CAR therapies because of the risk of eliminating vital cells with stem cell properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Pfeifer
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Dominik Lock
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Andreas Bosio
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Olaf T Hardt
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
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16
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Pieper T, Roth KDR, Glaser V, Riet T, Buitrago-Molina LE, Hagedorn M, Lieber M, Hust M, Noyan F, Jaeckel E, Hardtke-Wolenski M. Generation of Chimeric Antigen Receptors against Tetraspanin 7. Cells 2023; 12:1453. [PMID: 37296574 PMCID: PMC10252682 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) has shown promising results in the treatment of autoimmune diseases; however, the use of polyspecific Tregs has limited effects. However, obtaining a sufficient number of antigen-specific Tregs from patients with autoimmune disorders remains challenging. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) provide an alternative source of T cells for novel immunotherapies that redirect T cells independently of the MHC. In this study, we aimed to generate antibody-like single-chain variable fragments (scFv) and subsequent CARs against tetraspanin 7 (TSPAN7), a membrane protein highly expressed on the surface of pancreatic beta cells, using phage display technology. We established two methods for generating scFvs against TSPAN7 and other target structures. Moreover, we established novel assays to analyze and quantify their binding abilities. The resulting CARs were functional and activated specifically by the target structure, but could not recognize TSPAN7 on the surface of beta cells. Despite this, this study demonstrates that CAR technology is a powerful tool for generating antigen-specific T cells and provides new approaches for generating functional CARs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Pieper
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Kristian Daniel Ralph Roth
- Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Medizinische Biotechnologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Viktor Glaser
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Tobias Riet
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Tumor Genetics, University Hospital of Cologne, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50933 Cologne, Germany
| | - Laura Elisa Buitrago-Molina
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Maike Hagedorn
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Maren Lieber
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Medizinische Biotechnologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Fatih Noyan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Department of Liver Transplantation, Multi Organ Transplant Program, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Matthias Hardtke-Wolenski
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
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17
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Mavi AK, Gaur S, Gaur G, Babita, Kumar N, Kumar U. CAR T-cell therapy: Reprogramming patient's immune cell to treat cancer. Cell Signal 2023; 105:110638. [PMID: 36822565 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy is a game changer in cancer treatment. Although CAR-T cell therapy has achieved significant clinical responses in specific subgroups of B cell leukaemia or lymphoma, various difficulties restrict CAR-T cell therapy's therapeutic effectiveness in solid tumours and haematological malignancies. Severe life-threatening toxicities, poor anti-tumour effectiveness, antigen escape, restricted trafficking, and limited tumour penetration are all barriers to successful CAR-T cell treatment. Furthermore, CAR-T cell interactions with the host and tumour microenvironment have a significant impact on their activity. Furthermore, developing and implementing these therapies necessitates a complicated staff. Innovative methodologies and tactics to engineering more potent CAR-T cells with greater anti-tumour activity and less toxicity are required to address these important difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil Kumar Mavi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Sonal Gaur
- Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Banasthali Vidyapith, Jaipur, Rajasthan 304022, India
| | - Gauri Gaur
- Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana 133203, India
| | - Babita
- Department of Pharmacology, Sharda School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Neelesh Kumar
- Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand 263145, India
| | - Umesh Kumar
- School of Biosciences, Institute of Management Studies Ghaziabad (University Courses Campus), NH09, Adhyatmik Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201015, India.
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18
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Li N, Quan A, Li D, Pan J, Ren H, Hoeltzel G, de Val N, Ashworth D, Ni W, Zhou J, Mackay S, Hewitt SM, Cachau R, Ho M. The IgG4 hinge with CD28 transmembrane domain improves V HH-based CAR T cells targeting a membrane-distal epitope of GPC1 in pancreatic cancer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1986. [PMID: 37031249 PMCID: PMC10082787 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37616-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneous antigen expression is a key barrier influencing the activity of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in solid tumors. Here, we develop CAR T cells targeting glypican-1 (GPC1), an oncofetal antigen expressed in pancreatic cancer. We report the generation of dromedary camel VHH nanobody (D4)-based CAR T cells targeting GPC1 and the optimization of the hinge (H) and transmembrane domain (TM) to improve activity. We find that a structurally rigid IgG4H and CD28TM domain brings the two D4 fragments in proximity, driving CAR dimerization and leading to enhanced T-cell signaling and tumor regression in pancreatic cancer models with low antigen density in female mice. Furthermore, single-cell-based proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of D4-IgG4H-CD28TM CAR T cells reveals specific genes (e.g., HMGB1) associated with high T-cell polyfunctionality. This study demonstrates the potential of VHH-based CAR T for pancreatic cancer therapy and provides an engineering strategy for developing potent CAR T cells targeting membrane-distal epitopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Alex Quan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Dan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jiajia Pan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Hua Ren
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Gerard Hoeltzel
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Natalia de Val
- Center for Molecular Microscopy, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | | | - Weiming Ni
- IsoPlexis Corporation, Branford, CT, 06405, USA
| | - Jing Zhou
- IsoPlexis Corporation, Branford, CT, 06405, USA
| | - Sean Mackay
- IsoPlexis Corporation, Branford, CT, 06405, USA
| | - Stephen M Hewitt
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Raul Cachau
- Integrated Data Science Section, Research Technologies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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19
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Lakhani A, Chen X, Chen LC, Khericha M, Chen YY, Park JO. Extracellular Domains of CAR Reprogram T-Cell Metabolism Without Antigen Stimulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.03.533021. [PMID: 37066394 PMCID: PMC10103977 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.03.533021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Metabolism is an indispensable part of T-cell proliferation, activation, and exhaustion, yet the metabolism of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells remains incompletely understood. CARs are comprised of extracellular domains that determine cancer specificity, often using single-chain variable fragments (scFvs), and intracellular domains that trigger signaling upon antigen binding. Here we show that CARs differing only in the scFv reprogram T-cell metabolism differently. Even in the absence of antigens, some CARs increase proliferation and nutrient uptake in T cells. Using stable isotope tracers and mass spectrometry, we observe basal metabolic fluxes through glycolysis doubling and amino acid uptake overtaking anaplerosis in CAR-T cells harboring rituximab scFv, unlike other similar anti-CD20 scFvs. Disparate rituximab and 14g2a-based anti-GD2 CAR-T cells are similarly hypermetabolic and channel excess nutrients to nitrogen overflow metabolism. Since CAR-dependent metabolic reprogramming alters cellular energetics, nutrient utilization, and proliferation, metabolic profiling should be an integral part of CAR-T cell development.
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20
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Tuning charge density of chimeric antigen receptor optimizes tonic signaling and CAR-T cell fitness. Cell Res 2023; 33:341-354. [PMID: 36882513 PMCID: PMC10156745 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00789-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Tonic signaling of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), i.e., the spontaneous CAR activation in the absence of tumor antigen stimulation, is considered to be a pivotal event controlling CAR-T efficacy. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the spontaneous CAR signals remains elusive. Here, we unveil that positively charged patches (PCPs) on the surface of the CAR antigen-binding domain mediate CAR clustering and result in CAR tonic signaling. For CARs with high tonic signaling (e.g., GD2.CAR and CSPG4.CAR), reducing PCPs on CARs or boosting ionic strength in the culture medium during ex vivo CAR-T cell expansion minimizes spontaneous CAR activation and alleviates CAR-T cell exhaustion. In contrast, introducing PCPs into the CAR with weak tonic signaling, such as CD19.CAR, results in improved in vivo persistence and superior antitumor function. These results demonstrate that CAR tonic signaling is induced and maintained by PCP-mediated CAR clustering. Notably, the mutations we generated to alter the PCPs maintain the antigen-binding affinity and specificity of the CAR. Therefore, our findings suggest that the rational tuning of PCPs to optimize tonic signaling and in vivo fitness of CAR-T cells is a promising design strategy for the next-generation CAR.
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21
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Chimeric antigen receptor T cells therapy in solid tumors. Clin Transl Oncol 2023:10.1007/s12094-023-03122-8. [PMID: 36853399 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03122-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cells therapy (CAR-T therapy) is a class of ACT therapy. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) is an engineered synthetic receptor of CAR-T, which give T cells the ability to recognize tumor antigens in a human leukocyte antigen-independent (HLA-independent) manner and enables them to recognize more extensive target antigens than natural T cell surface receptor (TCR), resulting in tumor destruction. CAR-T is composed of an extracellular single-chain variable fragment (scFv) of antibody, which serves as the targeting moiety, hinge region, transmembrane spacer, and intracellular signaling domain(s). CAR-T has been developing in many generations, which differ according to costimulatory domains. CAR-T therapy has several limitations that reduce its wide availability in immunotherapy which we can summarize in antigen escape that shows either partial or complete loss of target antigen expression, so multiplexing CAR-T cells are promoted to enhance targeting of tumor profiles. In addition, the large diversity in the tumor microenvironment also plays a major role in limiting this kind of treatment. Therefore, engineered CAR-T cells can evoke immunostimulatory signals that rebalance the tumor microenvironment. Using CAR-T therapy in treating the solid tumor is mainly restricted by the difficulty of CAR-T cells infiltrating the tumor site, so local administration was developed to improve the quality of treatment. The most severe toxicity after CAR-T therapy is on-target/on-tumor toxicity, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Another type of toxicity is on-target/off-tumor toxicity which originates from the binding of CAR-T cells to target antigen that has shared expression on normal cells leading to damage in healthy cells and organs. Toxicity management should become a focus of implementation to permit management beyond specialized centers.
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22
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Ghaedrahmati F, Esmaeil N, Abbaspour M. Targeting immune checkpoints: how to use natural killer cells for fighting against solid tumors. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2022; 43:177-213. [PMID: 36585761 PMCID: PMC9926962 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are unique innate immune cells that mediate anti-viral and anti-tumor responses. Thus, they might hold great potential for cancer immunotherapy. NK cell adoptive immunotherapy in humans has shown modest efficacy. In particular, it has failed to demonstrate therapeutic efficiency in the treatment of solid tumors, possibly due in part to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which reduces NK cell immunotherapy's efficiencies. It is known that immune checkpoints play a prominent role in creating an immunosuppressive TME, leading to NK cell exhaustion and tumor immune escape. Therefore, NK cells must be reversed from their dysfunctional status and increased in their effector roles in order to improve the efficiency of cancer immunotherapy. Blockade of immune checkpoints can not only rescue NK cells from exhaustion but also augment their robust anti-tumor activity. In this review, we discussed immune checkpoint blockade strategies with a focus on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK cells to redirect NK cells to cancer cells in the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhoodeh Ghaedrahmati
- Department of ImmunologySchool of MedicineIsfahan University of Medical SciencesIsfahanIran
| | - Nafiseh Esmaeil
- Department of ImmunologySchool of MedicineIsfahan University of Medical SciencesIsfahanIran,Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non‐Communicable DiseaseIsfahan University of Medical SciencesIsfahanIran
| | - Maryam Abbaspour
- Department of Pharmaceutical BiotechnologyFaculty of PharmacyIsfahan University of Medical SciencesIsfahanIran
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23
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Asmamaw Dejenie T, Tiruneh G/Medhin M, Dessie Terefe G, Tadele Admasu F, Wale Tesega W, Chekol Abebe E. Current updates on generations, approvals, and clinical trials of CAR T-cell therapy. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2114254. [PMID: 36094837 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2114254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a novel, customized immunotherapy that is considered a 'living' and self-replicating drug to treat cancer, sometimes resulting in a complete cure. CAR T-cells are manufactured through genetic engineering of T-cells by equipping them with CARs to detect and target antigen-expressing cancer cells. CAR is designed to have an ectodomain extracellularly, a transmembrane domain spanning the cell membrane, and an endodomain intracellularly. Since its first discovery, the CAR structure has evolved greatly, from the first generation to the fifth generation, to offer new therapeutic alternatives for cancer patients. This treatment has achieved long-term and curative therapeutic efficacy in multiple blood malignancies that nowadays profoundly change the treatment landscape of lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. But CART-cell therapy is associated with several hurdles, such as limited therapeutic efficacy, little effect on solid tumors, adverse effects, expensive cost, and feasibility issues, hindering its broader implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadesse Asmamaw Dejenie
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Markeshaw Tiruneh G/Medhin
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Gashaw Dessie Terefe
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Fitalew Tadele Admasu
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Science Arbaminch University, Arbaminch, Ethiopia
| | - Wondwossen Wale Tesega
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia
| | - Endeshaw Chekol Abebe
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Science Arbaminch University, Arbaminch, Ethiopia
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24
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Teppert K, Wang X, Anders K, Evaristo C, Lock D, Künkele A. Joining Forces for Cancer Treatment: From "TCR versus CAR" to "TCR and CAR". Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314563. [PMID: 36498890 PMCID: PMC9739809 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell-based immunotherapy has demonstrated great therapeutic potential in recent decades, on the one hand, by using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and, on the other hand, by engineering T cells to obtain anti-tumor specificities through the introduction of either engineered T cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Given the distinct design of both receptors and the type of antigen that is encountered, the requirements for proper antigen engagement and downstream signal transduction by TCRs and CARs differ. Synapse formation and signal transduction of CAR T cells, despite further refinement of CAR T cell designs, still do not fully recapitulate that of TCR T cells and might limit CAR T cell persistence and functionality. Thus, deep knowledge about the molecular differences in CAR and TCR T cell signaling would greatly advance the further optimization of CAR designs and elucidate under which circumstances a combination of both receptors would improve the functionality of T cells for cancer treatment. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review about similarities and differences by directly comparing the architecture, synapse formation and signaling of TCRs and CARs, highlighting the knowns and unknowns. In the second part of the review, we discuss the current status of combining CAR and TCR technologies, encouraging a change in perspective from "TCR versus CAR" to "TCR and CAR".
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Teppert
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Xueting Wang
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Kathleen Anders
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 10117 Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - César Evaristo
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Dominik Lock
- Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, 51429 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Annette Künkele
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 10117 Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence:
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25
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Chimeric antigen receptor clustering via cysteines enhances T-cell efficacy against tumor. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 71:2801-2814. [DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03195-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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26
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Seif M, Kakoschke TK, Ebel F, Bellet MM, Trinks N, Renga G, Pariano M, Romani L, Tappe B, Espie D, Donnadieu E, Hünniger K, Häder A, Sauer M, Damotte D, Alifano M, White PL, Backx M, Nerreter T, Machwirth M, Kurzai O, Prommersberger S, Einsele H, Hudecek M, Löffler J. CAR T cells targeting Aspergillus fumigatus are effective at treating invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in preclinical models. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabh1209. [PMID: 36170447 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abh1209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous mold that can cause severe infections in immunocompromised patients, typically manifesting as invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Adaptive and innate immune cells that respond to A. fumigatus are present in the endogenous repertoire of patients with IPA but are infrequent and cannot be consistently isolated and expanded for adoptive immunotherapy. Therefore, we gene-engineered A. fumigatus-specific chimeric antigen receptor (Af-CAR) T cells and demonstrate their ability to confer antifungal reactivity in preclinical models in vitro and in vivo. We generated a CAR targeting domain AB90-E8 that recognizes a conserved protein antigen in the cell wall of A. fumigatus hyphae. T cells expressing the Af-CAR recognized A. fumigatus strains and clinical isolates and exerted a direct antifungal effect against A. fumigatus hyphae. In particular, CD8+ Af-CAR T cells released perforin and granzyme B and damaged A. fumigatus hyphae. CD8+ and CD4+ Af-CAR T cells produced cytokines that activated macrophages to potentiate the antifungal effect. In an in vivo model of IPA in immunodeficient mice, CD8+ Af-CAR T cells localized to the site of infection, engaged innate immune cells, and reduced fungal burden in the lung. Adoptive transfer of CD8+ Af-CAR T cells conferred greater antifungal efficacy compared to CD4+ Af-CAR T cells and an improvement in overall survival. Together, our study illustrates the potential of gene-engineered T cells to treat aggressive infectious diseases that are difficult to control with conventional antimicrobial therapy and support the clinical development of Af-CAR T cell therapy to treat IPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Seif
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Katharina Kakoschke
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU, 80337 München, Germany.,Institut für Infektionsmedizin und Zoonosen, Medizinische Fakultät, LMU, 80539 München, Germany
| | - Frank Ebel
- Institut für Infektionsmedizin und Zoonosen, Medizinische Fakultät, LMU, 80539 München, Germany
| | - Marina Maria Bellet
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Nora Trinks
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie und Biophysik, Biozentrum und RVZ - Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Giorgia Renga
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Marilena Pariano
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Luigina Romani
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Beeke Tappe
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - David Espie
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, 75014 Paris, France.,CAR-T Cells Department, Invectys, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Donnadieu
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, 75014 Paris, France.,Equipe labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Kerstin Hünniger
- Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Fungal Septomics Research Group, Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie - Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Antje Häder
- Fungal Septomics Research Group, Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie - Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Markus Sauer
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie und Biophysik, Biozentrum und RVZ - Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Diane Damotte
- Department of Pathology, Paris Centre University Hospitals, AP-HP, 75014 Paris, France.,INSERM U1138, Cordeliers Research Center, Team Cancer, Immune Control and Escape, Paris, France; University Pierre and Marie Curie, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Marco Alifano
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Paris Centre University Hospitals, AP-HP, Paris, France; University Paris Descartes, 75014 Paris, France
| | - P Lewis White
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology Cardiff, UHW, CF14 4XW Cardiff, UK
| | - Matthijs Backx
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology Cardiff, UHW, CF14 4XW Cardiff, UK
| | - Thomas Nerreter
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Machwirth
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Kurzai
- Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Fungal Septomics Research Group, Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie - Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Sabrina Prommersberger
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hermann Einsele
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Hudecek
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Löffler
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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27
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Mazinani M, Rahbarizadeh F. CAR-T cell potency: from structural elements to vector backbone components. Biomark Res 2022; 10:70. [PMID: 36123710 PMCID: PMC9487061 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00417-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, in which a patient’s own T lymphocytes are engineered to recognize and kill cancer cells, has achieved remarkable success in some hematological malignancies in preclinical and clinical trials, resulting in six FDA-approved CAR-T products currently available in the market. Once equipped with a CAR construct, T cells act as living drugs and recognize and eliminate the target tumor cells in an MHC-independent manner. In this review, we first described all structural modular of CAR in detail, focusing on more recent findings. We then pointed out behind-the-scene elements contributing to CAR expression and reviewed how CAR expression can be drastically affected by the elements embedded in the viral vector backbone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Mazinani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-111, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rahbarizadeh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-111, Tehran, Iran. .,Research and Development Center of Biotechnology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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28
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Honikel MM, Olejniczak SH. Co-Stimulatory Receptor Signaling in CAR-T Cells. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12091303. [PMID: 36139142 PMCID: PMC9496564 DOI: 10.3390/biom12091303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
T cell engineering strategies have emerged as successful immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of human cancer. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy represents a prominent synthetic biology approach to re-direct the specificity of a patient's autologous T cells toward a desired tumor antigen. CAR-T therapy is currently FDA approved for the treatment of hematological malignancies, including subsets of B cell lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and multiple myeloma. Mechanistically, CAR-mediated recognition of a tumor antigen results in propagation of T cell activation signals, including a co-stimulatory signal, resulting in CAR-T cell activation, proliferation, evasion of apoptosis, and acquisition of effector functions. The importance of including a co-stimulatory domain in CARs was recognized following limited success of early iteration CAR-T cell designs lacking co-stimulation. Today, all CAR-T cells in clinical use contain either a CD28 or 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain. Preclinical investigations are exploring utility of including additional co-stimulatory molecules such as ICOS, OX40 and CD27 or various combinations of multiple co-stimulatory domains. Clinical and preclinical evidence implicates the co-stimulatory signal in several aspects of CAR-T cell therapy including response kinetics, persistence and durability, and toxicity profiles each of which impact the safety and anti-tumor efficacy of this immunotherapy. Herein we provide an overview of CAR-T cell co-stimulation by the prototypical receptors and discuss current and emerging strategies to modulate co-stimulatory signals to enhance CAR-T cell function.
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29
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Bister A, Ibach T, Haist C, Gerhorst G, Smorra D, Soldierer M, Roellecke K, Wagenmann M, Scheckenbach K, Gattermann N, Wiek C, Hanenberg H. Optimized NGFR-derived hinges for rapid and efficient enrichment and detection of CAR T cells in vitro and in vivo. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2022; 26:120-134. [PMID: 35795096 PMCID: PMC9240717 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2022.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has demonstrated unprecedented success with high remission rates for heavily pretreated patients with hematological malignancies. The hinge connecting the extracellular antigen recognition unit to the transmembrane domain provides the length and flexibility of the CAR constructs and ensures that the CAR can reach the target antigen and mediate recognition and killing of target cells. The hinge can also include specific amino acid sequences to improve CAR expression, influence T cell proliferation, and facilitate CAR T cell detection, enrichment, and even elimination. Here, we report the generation of two novel hinge domains derived from the low-affinity p75 chain of the human nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR), termed N3 and N4, which, when incorporated into the CAR backbone, allow detection as well as high-grade enrichment of CAR T cells with GMP-compatible immunomagnetic reagents. After optimizing the MACS protocol for excellent CAR T cell purity and yield, we demonstrated that N3- and N4-hinged CAR T cells are as efficacious as their CD8-hinged counterparts in vitro against hematological blasts and also in vivo in the control of acute monocytic leukemia in an immunodeficient mouse xenograft model. Thus, both hinges could potentially be an integral part of future CAR designs and universally applicable in clinical applications.
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30
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Immunotherapy and immunoengineering for breast cancer; a comprehensive insight into CAR-T cell therapy advancements, challenges and prospects. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:755-777. [PMID: 35943716 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00700-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) is a highly prevalent solid cancer with a high-rise infiltration of immune cells, turning it into a significant candidate for tumor-specific immunotherapies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are emerging as immunotherapeutic tools with genetically engineered receptors to efficiently recognize and attack tumor cells that express specific target antigens. Technological advancements in CAR design have provided five generations of CAR-T cells applicable to a wide range of cancer patients while boosting CAR-T cell therapy safety. However, CAR-T cell therapy is ineffective against breast cancer because of the loss of specified antigens, the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor and CAR-T cell-induced toxicities. Next-generation CAR-T cells actively pass through the tumor vascular barriers, persist for extended periods and disrupt the tumor microenvironment (TME) to block immune escape. CONCLUSION CAR-T cell therapy embodies advanced immunotherapy for BC, but further pre-clinical and clinical assessments are recommended to achieve maximized efficiency and safety.
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31
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Developing ROR1 Targeting CAR-T Cells against Solid Tumors in Preclinical Studies. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14153618. [PMID: 35892876 PMCID: PMC9331269 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T-cells (CAR-T) have demonstrated promising clinical benefits against B-cell malignancies. Yet, its application for solid tumors is still facing challenges. Unlike haematological cancers, solid tumors often lack good targets, which are ideally expressed on the tumor cells, but not by the normal healthy cells. Fortunately, receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) is among a few good cancer targets that is aberrantly expressed on various tumors but has a low expression on normal tissue, suggesting it as a good candidate for CAR-T therapy. Here, we constructed two ROR1 CARs with the same antigen recognition domain that was derived from Zilovertamab but differing in hinge regions. Both CARs target ROR1+ cancer cells specifically, but CAR with a shorter IgG4 hinge exhibits a higher surface expression and better in vitro functionality. We further tested the ROR1 CAR-T in three human solid tumor xenografted mouse models. Our ROR1 CAR-T cells controlled the solid tumor growth without causing any severe toxicity. Our results demonstrated that ROR1 CAR-T derived from Zilovertamab is efficacious and safe to suppress ROR1+ solid tumors in vitro and in vivo, providing a promising therapeutic option for future clinical application.
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32
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McComb S, Nguyen T, Shepherd A, Henry KA, Bloemberg D, Marcil A, Maclean S, Zafer A, Gilbert R, Gadoury C, Pon RA, Sulea T, Zhu Q, Weeratna RD. Programmable Attenuation of Antigenic Sensitivity for a Nanobody-Based EGFR Chimeric Antigen Receptor Through Hinge Domain Truncation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:864868. [PMID: 35935988 PMCID: PMC9354126 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.864868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor family receptor (EGFR) is commonly overexpressed in many solid tumors and an attractive target for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy, but as EGFR is also expressed at lower levels in healthy tissues a therapeutic strategy must balance antigenic responsiveness against the risk of on-target off-tumor toxicity. Herein, we identify several camelid single-domain antibodies (also known as nanobodies) that are effective EGFR targeting moieties for CARs (EGFR-sdCARs) with very strong reactivity to EGFR-high and EGFR-low target cells. As a strategy to attenuate their potent antigenic sensitivity, we performed progressive truncation of the human CD8 hinge commonly used as a spacer domain in many CAR constructs. Single amino acid hinge-domain truncation progressively decreased both EGFR-sdCAR-Jurkat cell binding to EGFR-expressing targets and expression of the CD69 activation marker. Attenuated signaling in hinge-truncated EGFR-sdCAR constructs increased selectivity for antigen-dense EGFR-overexpressing cells over an EGFR-low tumor cell line or healthy donor derived EGFR-positive fibroblasts. We also provide evidence that epitope location is critical for determining hinge-domain requirement for CARs, as hinge truncation similarly decreased antigenic sensitivity of a membrane-proximal epitope targeting HER2-CAR but not a membrane-distal EGFRvIII-specific CAR. Hinge-modified EGFR-sdCAR cells showed clear functional attenuation in Jurkat-CAR-T cells and primary human CAR-T cells from multiple donors in vitro and in vivo. Overall, these results indicate that hinge length tuning provides a programmable strategy for throttling antigenic sensitivity in CARs targeting membrane-proximal epitopes, and could be employed for CAR-optimization and improved tumor selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott McComb
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Scott McComb,
| | - Tina Nguyen
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Alex Shepherd
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kevin A. Henry
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Darin Bloemberg
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Anne Marcil
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Susanne Maclean
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ahmed Zafer
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Rénald Gilbert
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Christine Gadoury
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Robert A. Pon
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Traian Sulea
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Qin Zhu
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Risini D. Weeratna
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Chen L, Chen F, Niu H, Li J, Pu Y, Yang C, Wang Y, Huang R, Li K, Lei Y, Huang Y. Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T Cell Immunotherapy Against Thoracic Malignancies: Challenges and Opportunities. Front Immunol 2022; 13:871661. [PMID: 35911706 PMCID: PMC9334018 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.871661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Different from surgery, chemical therapy, radio-therapy and target therapy, Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cells, a novel adoptive immunotherapy strategy, have been used successfully against both hematological tumors and solid tumors. Although several problems have reduced engineered CAR-T cell therapeutic outcomes in clinical trials for the treatment of thoracic malignancies, including the lack of specific antigens, an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, a low level of CAR-T cell infiltration into tumor tissues, off-target toxicity, and other safety issues, CAR-T cell treatment is still full of bright future. In this review, we outline the basic structure and characteristics of CAR-T cells among different period, summarize the common tumor-associated antigens in clinical trials of CAR-T cell therapy for thoracic malignancies, and point out the current challenges and new strategies, aiming to provide new ideas and approaches for preclinical experiments and clinical trials of CAR-T cell therapy for thoracic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Chen
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Fukun Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Huatao Niu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Jindan Li
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Yongzhu Pu
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Conghui Yang
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Rong Huang
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Ke Li
- Department of Cancer Biotherapy Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Yunchao Huang, ; Yujie Lei, ; Ke Li,
| | - Yujie Lei
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Yunchao Huang, ; Yujie Lei, ; Ke Li,
| | - Yunchao Huang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Yunchao Huang, ; Yujie Lei, ; Ke Li,
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Achkova DY, Beatson RE, Maher J. CAR T-Cell Targeting of Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Receptor. Cells 2022; 11:cells11142190. [PMID: 35883636 PMCID: PMC9323367 DOI: 10.3390/cells11142190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (M-CSFR) is found in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte lineage and is aberrantly expressed in a range of tumours, in addition to tumour-associated macrophages. Consequently, a variety of cancer therapies directed against M-CSFR are under development. We set out to engineer chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that employ the natural ligands of this receptor, namely M-CSF or interleukin (IL)-34, to achieve specificity for M-CSFR-expressing target cells. Both M-CSF and IL-34 bind to overlapping regions of M-CSFR, although affinity of IL-34 is significantly greater than that of M-CSF. Matched second- and third-generation CARs targeted using M-CSF or IL-34 were expressed in human T-cells using the SFG retroviral vector. We found that both M-CSF- and IL-34-containing CARs enable T-cells to mediate selective destruction of tumour cells that express enforced or endogenous M-CSFR, accompanied by production of both IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ. Although they contain an additional co-stimulatory module, third-generation CARs did not outperform second-generation CARs. M-CSF-containing CARs mediated enhanced cytokine production and cytolytic activity compared to IL-34-containing CARs. These data demonstrate the feasibility of targeting M-CSFR using ligand-based CARs and raise the possibility that the low picomolar affinity of IL-34 for M-CSFR is detrimental to CAR function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Yordanova Achkova
- CAR Mechanics Group, Guy’s Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK; (D.Y.A.); (R.E.B.)
| | - Richard Esmond Beatson
- CAR Mechanics Group, Guy’s Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK; (D.Y.A.); (R.E.B.)
| | - John Maher
- CAR Mechanics Group, Guy’s Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK; (D.Y.A.); (R.E.B.)
- Department of Immunology, Eastbourne Hospital, Kings Drive, Eastbourne BN21 2UD, UK
- Leucid Bio Ltd., Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)207188-1468
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35
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Gao TA, Chen YY. Engineering Next-Generation CAR-T Cells: Overcoming Tumor Hypoxia and Metabolism. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2022; 13:193-216. [PMID: 35700528 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-092120-092914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
T cells engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have shown remarkable success in treating B-cell malignancies, reflected by multiple US Food and Drug Administration-approved CAR-T cell products currently on the market. However, various obstacles have thus far limited the use of approved products and constrained the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy against solid tumors. Overcoming these obstacles will necessitate multidimensional CAR-T cell engineering approaches and better understanding of the intricate tumor microenvironment (TME). Key challenges include treatment-related toxicity, antigen escape and heterogeneity, and the highly immunosuppressive profile of the TME. Notably, the hypoxic and nutrient-deprived nature of the TME severely attenuates CAR-T cell fitness and efficacy, highlighting the need for more sophisticated engineering strategies. In this review, we examine recent advances in protein- and cell-engineering strategies to improve CAR-T cell safety and efficacy, with an emphasis on overcoming immunosuppression induced by tumor metabolism and hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torahito A Gao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; ,
| | - Yvonne Y Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; , .,Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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36
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Larcombe-Young D, Whilding L, Davies DM, Draper B, Bechman N, Maher J. Generation of human parallel chimeric antigen receptor (pCAR) T cells to achieve synergistic T cell co-stimulation. STAR Protoc 2022; 3:101414. [PMID: 35620078 PMCID: PMC9127424 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dual co-stimulation may be harnessed using parallel chimeric antigen receptors (pCARs) in which two distinct co-stimulatory units are adjacently localized on the plasma membrane. This protocol summarizes construct design, human T cell isolation, retroviral transduction, tissue culture expansion, and preclinical testing of pCAR T cells, exemplified by receptors that co-target avb6 integrin and ErbB dimers. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Muliaditan et al. (2021). A protocol to enable robust generation of pCAR T cells Effective dual co-stimulation is provided by this platform Sustained and enhanced antitumor activity by pCAR T cells Detailed in vitro and in vivo evaluation of pCAR technology
Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Larcombe-Young
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Guy’s Campus, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Leucid Bio Ltd., Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Lynsey Whilding
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Guy’s Campus, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - David Marc Davies
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Guy’s Campus, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Leucid Bio Ltd., Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Benjamin Draper
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Guy’s Campus, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Natasha Bechman
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Guy’s Campus, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - John Maher
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Guy’s Campus, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Leucid Bio Ltd., Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Department of Immunology, Eastbourne Hospital, Kings Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 2UD, UK
- Corresponding author
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López-Cantillo G, Urueña C, Camacho BA, Ramírez-Segura C. CAR-T Cell Performance: How to Improve Their Persistence? Front Immunol 2022; 13:878209. [PMID: 35572525 PMCID: PMC9097681 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.878209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy with T cells reprogrammed to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-T cells) has been highly successful in patients with hematological neoplasms. However, its therapeutic benefits have been limited in solid tumor cases. Even those patients who respond to this immunotherapy remain at risk of relapse due to the short-term persistence or non-expansion of CAR-T cells; moreover, the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME) leads to the dysfunction of these cells after reinfusion. Some research has shown that, in adoptive T-cell therapies, the presence of less differentiated T-cell subsets within the infusion product is associated with better clinical outcomes. Naive and memory T cells persist longer and exhibit greater antitumor activity than effector T cells. Therefore, new methods are being studied to overcome the limitations of this therapy to generate CAR-T cells with these ideal phenotypes. In this paper, we review the characteristics of T-cell subsets and their implications in the clinical outcomes of adoptive therapy with CAR-T cells. In addition, we describe some strategies developed to overcome the reduced persistence of CAR T-cells and alternatives to improve this therapy by increasing the expansion ability and longevity of modified T cells. These methods include cell culture optimization, incorporating homeostatic cytokines during the expansion phase of manufacturing, modulation of CAR-T cell metabolism, manipulating signaling pathways involved in T-cell differentiation, and strategies related to CAR construct designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina López-Cantillo
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ingeniería Celular y Molecular, Instituto Distrital de Ciencia Biotecnología e Innovación en Salud (IDCBIS), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Claudia Urueña
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Cesar Ramírez-Segura
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ingeniería Celular y Molecular, Instituto Distrital de Ciencia Biotecnología e Innovación en Salud (IDCBIS), Bogotá, Colombia.,Instituto Distrital de Ciencia Biotecnología e Innovación en Salud (IDCBIS), Bogotá, Colombia
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38
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Enhanced safety and efficacy of protease-regulated CAR-T cell receptors. Cell 2022; 185:1745-1763.e22. [PMID: 35483375 PMCID: PMC9467936 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Regulatable CAR platforms could circumvent toxicities associated with CAR-T therapy, but existing systems have shortcomings including leakiness and attenuated activity. Here, we present SNIP CARs, a protease-based platform for regulating CAR activity using an FDA-approved small molecule. Design iterations yielded CAR-T cells that manifest full functional capacity with drug and no leaky activity in the absence of drug. In numerous models, SNIP CAR-T cells were more potent than constitutive CAR-T cells and showed diminished T cell exhaustion and greater stemness. In a ROR1-based CAR lethality model, drug cessation following toxicity onset reversed toxicity, thereby credentialing the platform as a safety switch. In the same model, reduced drug dosing opened a therapeutic window that resulted in tumor eradication in the absence of toxicity. SNIP CARs enable remote tuning of CAR activity, which provides solutions to safety and efficacy barriers that are currently limiting progress in using CAR-T cells to treat solid tumors.
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39
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Feng Z, He X, Zhang X, Wu Y, Xing B, Knowles A, Shan Q, Miller S, Hojnacki T, Ma J, Katona BW, Gade TPF, Siegel DL, Schrader J, Metz DC, June CH, Hua X. Potent suppression of neuroendocrine tumors and gastrointestinal cancers by CDH17CAR T cells without toxicity to normal tissues. NATURE CANCER 2022; 3:581-594. [PMID: 35314826 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-022-00344-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancers (GICs) and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are often refractory to therapy after metastasis. Adoptive cell therapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, though remarkably efficacious for treating leukemia, is yet to be developed for solid tumors such as GICs and NETs. Here we isolated a llama-derived nanobody, VHH1, and found that it bound cell surface adhesion protein CDH17 upregulated in GICs and NETs. VHH1-CAR T cells (CDH17CARTs) killed both human and mouse tumor cells in a CDH17-dependent manner. CDH17CARTs eradicated CDH17-expressing NETs and gastric, pancreatic and colorectal cancers in either tumor xenograft or autochthonous mouse models. Notably, CDH17CARTs do not attack normal intestinal epithelial cells, which also express CDH17, to cause toxicity, likely because CDH17 is localized only at the tight junction between normal intestinal epithelial cells. Thus, CDH17 represents a class of previously unappreciated tumor-associated antigens that is 'masked' in healthy tissues from attack by CAR T cells for developing safer cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijie Feng
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xin He
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xuyao Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yuan Wu
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bowen Xing
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alison Knowles
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qiaonan Shan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Samuel Miller
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Taylor Hojnacki
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jian Ma
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bryson W Katona
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Terence P F Gade
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Don L Siegel
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jörg Schrader
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - David C Metz
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carl H June
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xianxin Hua
- Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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40
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The Effects of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) Hinge Domain Post-Translational Modifications on CAR-T Cell Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23074056. [PMID: 35409419 PMCID: PMC8999629 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23074056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To improve the efficacy and safety of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing T cell therapeutics through enhanced CAR design, we analysed CAR structural factors that affect CAR-T cell function. We studied the effects of disulphide bonding at cysteine residues and glycosylation in the HD on CAR-T function. We used first-generation CAR[V/28/28/3z] and CAR[V/8a/8a/3z], consisting of a mouse vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-specific single-chain variable fragment tandemly linked to CD28- or CD8α-derived HD, transmembrane domain (TMD) and a CD3ζ-derived signal transduction domain (STD). We constructed structural variants by substituting cysteine with alanine and asparagine (putative N-linked glycosylation sites) with aspartate. CAR[V/28/28/3z] and CAR[V/8a/8a/3z] formed homodimers, the former through a single HD cysteine residue and the latter through the more TMD-proximal of the two cysteine residues. The absence of disulphide bonds did not affect membrane CAR expression but reduced antigen-specific cytokine production and cytotoxic activity. CAR[V/28/28/3z] and CAR[V/8a/8a/3z] harboured one N-linked glycosylation site, and CAR[V/8a/8a/3z] underwent considerable O-linked glycosylation at an unknown site. Thus, N-linked glycosylation of CAR[V/28/28/3z] promotes stable membrane CAR expression, while having no effect on the expression or CAR-T cell activity of CAR[V/8a/8a/3z]. Our findings demonstrate that post-translational modifications of the CAR HD influence CAR-T cell activity, establishing a basis for future CAR design.
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41
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Panowski SH, Srinivasan S, Tan N, Tacheva-Grigorova SK, Smith B, Mak Y, Ning H, Villanueva J, Wijewarnasuriya D, Lang S, Melton Z, Ghosh A, Dusseaux M, Galetto R, Heyen JR, Sai T, Van Blarcom TJ, Chaparro-Riggers J, Sasu BJ. Preclinical Development and Evaluation of Allogeneic CAR T Cells Targeting CD70 for the Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma. Cancer Res 2022; 82:2610-2624. [PMID: 35294525 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-2931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
CD70 is highly expressed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), with limited expression in normal tissue, making it an attractive CAR T target for an immunogenic solid tumor indication. Here we generated and characterized a panel of anti-CD70 scFv-based CAR T cells. Despite the expression of CD70 on T cells, production of CAR T from a subset of scFvs with potent in vitro activity was achieved. Expression of CD70 CARs masked CD70 detection in cis and provide protection from CD70 CAR T-mediated fratricide. Two distinct classes of CAR T cells were identified with differing memory phenotype, activation status, and cytotoxic activity. Epitope mapping revealed that the two classes of CARs bind unique regions of CD70. CD70 CAR T cells displayed robust antitumor activity against RCC cell lines and patient-derived xenograft mouse models. Tissue cross-reactivity studies identified membrane staining in lymphocytes, thus matching the known expression pattern of CD70. In a cynomolgus monkey CD3-CD70 bispecific toxicity study, expected findings related to T cell activation and elimination of CD70-expressing cells were observed, including cytokine release and loss of cellularity in lymphoid tissues. Lastly, highly functional CD70 allogeneic CAR T cells were produced at large scale through elimination of the T cell receptor by TALEN-based gene editing. Taken together, these efficacy and safety data support the evaluation of CD70 CAR T cells for the treatment of RCC and has led to the advancement of an allogeneic CD70 CAR T candidate into phase I clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nguyen Tan
- Allogene Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | - Bryan Smith
- Allogene Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Yvonne Mak
- Allogene Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Hongxiu Ning
- Allogene Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | | | - Shanshan Lang
- Allogene Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Zea Melton
- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Adit Ghosh
- Allogene Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Tao Sai
- Pfizer Inc, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | | | - Barbra J Sasu
- Allogene Therapuetics Inc, South San Francisco, CA, United States
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42
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Chen L, Chen F, Li J, Pu Y, Yang C, Wang Y, Lei Y, Huang Y. CAR-T cell therapy for lung cancer: Potential and perspective. Thorac Cancer 2022; 13:889-899. [PMID: 35289077 PMCID: PMC8977151 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.14375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the highest incidence and mortality of all cancers around the world. In the present immunotherapy era, an increasing number of immunotherapeutic agents including monoclonal antibody‐targeted drugs have been used in the clinical treatment of malignancy, but it still has many limitations. Chimeric antigen receptor‐modified T (CAR‐T) cells, a novel adoptive immunotherapy strategy, have not only been used successfully against hematological tumors, but have also opened up new avenues for immunotherapy of solid tumors, including lung cancer. However, targeting lung cancer‐specific antigens using engineered CAR‐T cells is complicated by the lack of proper tumor‐specific antigens, an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, a low level of CAR‐T cell infiltration into tumor tissues, along with off‐target effect, etc. Simultaneously, the clinical application of CAR‐T cells remains limited because of many challenges such as tumor lysis syndrome, neurotoxicity syndrome, and cytokine release syndrome. In this review, we outline the basic structure and generation characteristic of CAR‐T cells and summarize the common tumor‐associated antigens in clinical trials of CAR‐T cell therapy for lung cancer, and point out the current challenges and new strategies, aiming to provide new ideas and approaches for the pre‐clinical experiments and clinical trials of CAR‐T cell therapy in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Chen
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Fukun Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Jindan Li
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Yongzhu Pu
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Conghui Yang
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of PET/CT Center, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Yujie Lei
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Yunchao Huang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Cancer Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
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43
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Poorebrahim M, Quiros-Fernandez I, Fakhr E, Cid-Arregui A. Generation of CAR-T cells using lentiviral vectors. Methods Cell Biol 2022; 167:39-69. [PMID: 35152998 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is nowadays largely focused on the development of therapeutic antibodies and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Two CARs targeting CD19 have been approved recently for the treatment of some hematological malignancies. This demonstrates the capability of engineered CAR T cells in generating effective tumor responses. Furthermore, several hundred ongoing clinical trials are exploring the feasibility of CAR-based approaches to target tumor-associated antigens in solid tumors. However, there still remain significant challenges and limitations in the design and production of CAR-modified T cells that need to be addressed, such as more effective transduction methods, expression and exhaustion issues, reliable in vitro and in vivo characterization methods, etc. Here we describe current techniques for generating CAR T cells using lentiviral vectors as well as detailed protocols for their functional characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansour Poorebrahim
- Targeted Tumor Vaccines Group, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Isaac Quiros-Fernandez
- Targeted Tumor Vaccines Group, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elham Fakhr
- Targeted Tumor Vaccines Group, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angel Cid-Arregui
- Targeted Tumor Vaccines Group, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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Chimeric antigen receptor engineered T cells and their application in the immunotherapy of solid tumours. Expert Rev Mol Med 2022; 24:e7. [PMID: 35086597 PMCID: PMC9617572 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2021.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we reviewed the current literature studies and our understanding of the parameters that affect the chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T's) activation, effector function, in vivo persistence, and antitumour effects. These factors include T cell subsets and their differentiation stages, the components of chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) design, the expression promoters and delivery vectors, and the CAR-T production process. The CAR signalling and CAR-T activation were also studied in comparison to TCR. The last section of the review gave special consideration of CAR design for solid tumours, focusing on strategies to improve CAR-T tumour infiltration and survival in the hostile tumour microenvironment. With several hundred clinical trials undergoing worldwide, the pace of CAR-T immunotherapy moves from bench to bedside is unprecedented. We hope that the article will provide readers a clear and comprehensive view of this rapidly evolving field and will help scientists and physician to design effective CAR-Ts immunotherapy for solid tumours.
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Adoptive Cellular Therapy for Multiple Myeloma Using CAR- and TCR-Transgenic T Cells: Response and Resistance. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030410. [PMID: 35159220 PMCID: PMC8834324 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the substantial improvement of therapeutic approaches, multiple myeloma (MM) remains mostly incurable. However, immunotherapeutic and especially T cell-based approaches pioneered the therapeutic landscape for relapsed and refractory disease recently. Targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) on myeloma cells has been demonstrated to be highly effective not only by antibody-derived constructs but also by adoptive cellular therapies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-transgenic T cells lead to deep, albeit mostly not durable responses with manageable side-effects in intensively pretreated patients. The spectrum of adoptive T cell-transfer covers synthetic CARs with diverse specificities as well as currently less well-established T cell receptor (TCR)-based personalized strategies. In this review, we want to focus on treatment characteristics including efficacy and safety of CAR- and TCR-transgenic T cells in MM as well as the future potential these novel therapies may have. ACT with transgenic T cells has only entered clinical trials and various engineering strategies for optimization of T cell responses are necessary to overcome therapy resistance mechanisms. We want to outline the current success in engineering CAR- and TCR-T cells, but also discuss challenges including resistance mechanisms of MM for evading T cell therapy and point out possible novel strategies.
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A cell-based phenotypic library selection and screening approach for the de novo discovery of novel functional chimeric antigen receptors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1136. [PMID: 35064152 PMCID: PMC8782825 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05058-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-tumor therapies that seek to exploit and redirect the cytotoxic killing and effector potential of autologous or syngeneic T cells have shown extraordinary promise and efficacy in certain clinical settings. Such cells, when engineered to express synthetic chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) acquire novel targeting and activation properties which are governed and orchestrated by, typically, antibody fragments specific for a tumor antigen of interest. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that not all antibodies are equal in this regard, with a growing appreciation that ‘optimal’ CAR performance requires a consideration of multiple structural and contextual parameters. Thus, antibodies raised by classical approaches and intended for other applications often perform poorly or not at all when repurposed as CARs. With this in mind, we have explored the potential of an in vitro phenotypic CAR library discovery approach that tightly associates antibody-driven bridging of tumor and effector T cells with an informative and functionally relevant CAR activation reporter signal. Critically, we demonstrate the utility of this enrichment methodology for ‘real world’ de novo discovery by isolating several novel anti-mesothelin CAR-active scFv candidates.
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Abrantes R, Duarte HO, Gomes C, Wälchli S, Reis CA. CAR-Ts: new perspectives in cancer therapy. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:403-416. [PMID: 34978080 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy is a promising anticancer treatment that exploits the host's immune system to fight cancer. CAR-T cell therapy relies on immune cells being modified to express an artificial receptor targeting cancer-specific markers, and infused into the patients where they will recognize and eliminate the tumour. Although CAR-T cell therapy has produced encouraging outcomes in patients with haematologic malignancies, solid tumours remain challenging to treat, mainly due to the lack of cancer-specific molecular targets and the hostile, often immunosuppressive, tumour microenvironment. CAR-T cell therapy also depends on the quality of the injected product, which is closely connected to CAR design. Here, we explain the technology of CAR-Ts, focusing on the composition of CARs, their application, and limitations in cancer therapy, as well as on the current strategies to overcome the challenges encountered. We also address potential future targets to overcome the flaws of CAR-T cell technology in the treatment of cancer, emphasizing glycan antigens, the aberrant forms of which attain high tumour-specific expression, as promising targets for CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Abrantes
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS, Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Henrique O Duarte
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina Gomes
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Sébastien Wälchli
- Translational Research Unit, Department of Cellular Therapy, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
| | - Celso A Reis
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS, Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Porto, Portugal
- FMUP, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal
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Hanssens H, Meeus F, De Veirman K, Breckpot K, Devoogdt N. The antigen-binding moiety in the driver's seat of CARs. Med Res Rev 2022; 42:306-342. [PMID: 34028069 PMCID: PMC9292017 DOI: 10.1002/med.21818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Immuno-oncology has been at the forefront of cancer treatment in recent decades. In particular immune checkpoint and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy have achieved spectacular results. Over the years, CAR-T cell development has followed a steady evolutionary path, focusing on increasing T cell potency and sustainability, which has given rise to different CAR generations. However, there was less focus on the mode of interaction between the CAR-T cell and the cancer cell; more specifically on the targeting moiety used in the CAR and its specific properties. Recently, the importance of optimizing this domain has been recognized and the possibilities have been exploited. Over the last 10 years-in addition to the classical scFv-based CARs-single domain CARs, natural receptor-ligand CARs, universal CARs and CARs targeting more than one antigen have emerged. In addition, the specific parameters of the targeting domain and their influence on T cell activation are being examined. In this review, we concisely present the history of CAR-T cell therapy, and then expand on various developments in the CAR ectodomain. We discuss different formats, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, as well as the developments in affinity tuning, avidity effects, epitope location, and influence of the extracellular spacer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heleen Hanssens
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging LaboratoryVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
- Laboratory of Hematology and ImmunologyVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical SciencesVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Fien Meeus
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging LaboratoryVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical SciencesVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Kim De Veirman
- Laboratory of Hematology and ImmunologyVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical SciencesVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging LaboratoryVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
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Sheykhhasan M, Manoochehri H, Dama P. Use of CAR T-cell for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment: a review study. Cancer Gene Ther 2022; 29:1080-1096. [PMID: 34987176 PMCID: PMC9395272 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-021-00418-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer-specific lymphoid cell. Induction and consolidation chemotherapy alone or in combination with different therapeutic approaches remain the main treatment. Although complete or partial remission of the disease can be achieved, the risk of relapse or refractory leukemia is still high. More effective and safe therapy options are yet unmet needs. In recent years' new therapeutic approaches have been widely used. Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) presents significant limitations and the outcome of the consolidation treatment is patient dependent. Side effects such as Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are extremely common, therefore, using alternative methods to address these challenges for treatment seems crucial. In the last decade, T cells genetically engineered with Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) treatment for the ALL are largely studied and represent the new era of strategy. According to the Phase I/II clinical trials, this technology results seem very promising and can be used in the next future as an effective and safe treatment for ALL treatment. In this review different generations, challenges, and clinical studies related to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells for ALL treatment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Sheykhhasan
- grid.411950.80000 0004 0611 9280Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran ,Department of Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research, Qom, Iran
| | - Hamed Manoochehri
- grid.411950.80000 0004 0611 9280Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Paola Dama
- Research Fellow School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
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Natural Receptor- and Ligand-Based Chimeric Antigen Receptors: Strategies Using Natural Ligands and Receptors for Targeted Cell Killing. Cells 2021; 11:cells11010021. [PMID: 35011583 PMCID: PMC8750724 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been widely successful in the treatment of B-cell malignancies, including B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma; and three generations of CAR designs have led to effective FDA approved therapeutics. Traditionally, CAR antigen specificity is derived from a monoclonal antibody where the variable heavy (VH) and variable light (VL) chains are connected by a peptide linker to form a single-chain variable fragment (scFv). While this provides a level of antigen specificity parallel to that of an antibody and has shown great success in the clinic, this design is not universally successful. For instance, issues of stability, immunogenicity, and antigen escape hinder the translational application of some CARs. As an alternative, natural receptor- or ligand-based designs may prove advantageous in some circumstances compared to scFv-based designs. Herein, the advantages and disadvantages of scFv-based and natural receptor- or ligand-based CAR designs are discussed. In addition, several translational aspects of natural receptor- and ligand-based CAR approaches that are being investigated in preclinical and clinical studies will be examined.
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