Rational Design and Organoid-Based Evaluation of a Cocktail CAR-γδ T Cell Therapy for Heterogeneous Glioblastoma.

in Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) by Guidong Zhu, Zhongzheng Sun, Yingchao Liu, Jiang Liu, Linpei Guo, Guojing Pei, Ying Jiang, Baowang Miao, Zhen Li, Ping Zhang, Dongqi Tang, Wen Zhang, Chengwei Wang

TLDR

  • A novel approach, 'prof' cocktail therapy, combines personalized antigen selection and CAR-Vδ1 T cell engineering to treat glioblastoma.
  • The strategy aims to accelerate the development of effective CAR-T drugs for heterogeneous solid tumors like GBM.
  • The study highlights the importance of addressing tumor heterogeneity and inadequate T cell infiltration in CAR-T therapy development.

Abstract

Various challenges, including tumor heterogeneity and inadequate T cell infiltration, impede the progress of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy for glioblastoma (GBM). To address these obstacles, a multiple step strategy is designed. Initially, literature review and bioinformatics analysis to screen a set of antigens that are heterogeneously expressed in GBM, which are designated as the target-bank, are leveraged. Then, according to the multiplex immunohistochemistry results of each patient's tumor sample, a personalized panel of antigens based on the principle that most cancer cells in tumor tissues can be covered from the target-bank is selected. To target these antigens, Vδ1 T cells are chosen as CAR vehicles because of its high tissue infiltration and off-the-shelf properties, and an optimized protocol for engineering CAR-Vδ1 T cells with high purity and cytotoxicity, low exhaustion, and cytokine release is developed. Next, the specific panel of cocktail CAR-Vδ1 T cells in the GBM organoids that are directly derived from the same patient's tumor is tested. The term "prof" cocktail therapy is coined to describe the approach using precise and rational combination of tumor antigens, organoid-based evaluation, and fitness of Vδ1 T cells. It may accelerate development of effective CAR-T drugs for heterogeneous solid tumors.

Overview

  • A study aims to develop a personalized and precise chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy for glioblastoma (GBM) by addressing tumor heterogeneity and inadequate T cell infiltration.
  • A multiple step strategy involves literature review, bioinformatics analysis, and multiplex immunohistochemistry to select a personalized panel of antigens from a target-bank.
  • Optimized CAR-Vδ1 T cells with high purity, cytotoxicity, low exhaustion, and cytokine release are engineered to target the selected antigens.

Comparative Analysis & Findings

  • The study proposes a novel approach, 'prof' cocktail therapy, which combines precise and rational combination of tumor antigens, organoid-based evaluation, and fitness of Vδ1 T cells.
  • The strategy aims to accelerate the development of effective CAR-T drugs for heterogeneous solid tumors like GBM.
  • The results of the study are promising and warrant further investigation into the efficacy and feasibility of the proposed approach in treating GBM patients.

Implications and Future Directions

  • The study highlights the importance of addressing tumor heterogeneity and inadequate T cell infiltration in the development of CAR-T therapy for GBM.
  • Future research directions include testing the proposed approach in clinical trials and exploring its applicability to other solid tumors.
  • The study may also inform the development of personalized immunotherapies for GBM patients, potentially improving treatment outcomes.