2. Academic Validation
  3. Enhancing CAR-T cell efficacy in solid tumors by targeting the tumor microenvironment

Enhancing CAR-T cell efficacy in solid tumors by targeting the tumor microenvironment

  • Cell Mol Immunol. 2021 May;18(5):1085-1095. doi: 10.1038/s41423-021-00655-2.
Guangna Liu 1,  Wei Rui 1 2,  Xueqiang Zhao 1 2,  Xin Lin 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Basic Medical Sciences and Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China.
  • 2 China Immunotech (Beijing) Biotechnology Co.Ltd., Beijing, China.
  • 3 Department of Basic Medical Sciences and Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China. [email protected].
PMID: 33785843 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00655-2
Abstract

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has achieved successful outcomes against hematological malignancies and provided a new impetus for treating solid tumors. However, the efficacy of CAR-T cells for solid tumors remains unsatisfactory. The tumor microenvironment has an important role in interfering with and inhibiting the effector function of immune cells, among which upregulated inhibitory checkpoint receptors, soluble suppressive cytokines, altered chemokine expression profiles, aberrant vasculature, complicated stromal composition, hypoxia and abnormal tumor metabolism are major immunosuppressive mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the inhibitory factors that affect the function of CAR-T cells in tumor microenvironment and discuss approaches to improve CAR-T cell efficacy for solid tumor treatment by targeting those barriers.

Keywords

CAR-T; Microenvironment; Tumor.

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