CAR-Ts: new perspectives in cancer therapy

FEBS Letters

article

Rafaela Abrantes¹  Henrique O. Duarte¹  Catarina Gomes¹  Sébastien Wälchli⁴  Celso A. Reis¹ 

[1] i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto;IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto;ICBAS, Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Porto;Translational Research Unit, Department of Cellular Therapy, Oslo University Hospital;FMUP, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto

关键词: cancer;    CAR-T;    cell therapy;    chimeric antigen receptor;    glycans;    glycosylation;    tumour therapy;   

DOI  :  10.1002/1873-3468.14270

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

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.

【 授权许可】

Unknown