Background/aim: Several chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have been used to treat melanoma but have not shown favorable results. This study investigated whether Herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM), which is overexpressed in melanoma, is a potential novel antigen for CAR T cell therapy.
Materials and methods: A CAR construct, composed of the BTLA extracellular domain for HVEM recognition (BTLA-28z), was developed and tested.
Results: Jurkat cells transduced with BTLA-28z exhibited enhanced IL-2 secretion when incubated with HVEM-over-expressing melanoma cells. KHYG-1 cells transduced with BTLA-28z also lysed melanoma cell lines. Using primary T cells, we generated CAR T cells targeting HVEM. BTLA-28z CAR T cells exhibited excellent lytic activities against melanoma cell lines.
Conclusion: HVEM-targeting CAR T cells may be useful for the treatment of melanoma.
Keywords: BTLA; CAR T cell therapy; HVEM; immunology; melanoma; solid tumor.
Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.