Genetically engineered T cells for cancer immunotherapy

Dan Li; Xue Li; Wei-Lin Zhou; Yong Huang; Xiao Liang; Lin Jiang; Xiao Yang; Jie Sun; Zonghai Li; Wei-Dong Han; Wei Wang

doi:10.1038/s41392-019-0070-9

Genetically engineered T cells for cancer immunotherapy

Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2019 Sep 20:4:35. doi: 10.1038/s41392-019-0070-9. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Dan Li^#¹, Xue Li^#¹, Wei-Lin Zhou¹, Yong Huang¹, Xiao Liang^{1

2}, Lin Jiang¹, Xiao Yang¹, Jie Sun^{3

4}, Zonghai Li^{5

6}, Wei-Dong Han⁷, Wei Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ 1Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China.
² 2Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China.
³ 3Department of Cell Biology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058 Zhejiang, China.
⁴ 4Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Laboratory of Stem cell and Immunotherapy Engineering, 310058 Zhejing, China.
⁵ 5State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200032 Shanghai, China.
⁶ CARsgen Therapeutics, 200032 Shanghai, China.
⁷ 7Molecular & Immunological Department, Biotherapeutic Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxing Road, 100853 Beijing, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

T cells in the immune system protect the human body from infection by pathogens and clear mutant cells through specific recognition by T cell receptors (TCRs). Cancer immunotherapy, by relying on this basic recognition method, boosts the antitumor efficacy of T cells by unleashing the inhibition of immune checkpoints and expands adaptive immunity by facilitating the adoptive transfer of genetically engineered T cells. T cells genetically equipped with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or TCRs have shown remarkable effectiveness in treating some hematological malignancies, although the efficacy of engineered T cells in treating solid tumors is far from satisfactory. In this review, we summarize the development of genetically engineered T cells, outline the most recent studies investigating genetically engineered T cells for cancer immunotherapy, and discuss strategies for improving the performance of these T cells in fighting cancers.

Keywords: Drug development; Molecular medicine.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't