CRISPR base editing makes CAR T cells fit against aggressive tumors
Researchers at the University Hospital Tübingen and the Cluster of Excellence iFIT have established a method to specifically improve CAR T-cell therapy. The highlight: By using CRISPR base editing, immune cells can be modified in such a way that they fight tumor cells more effectively – even in solid tumors that were previously difficult to treat.
To increase the effectiveness of the CAR T cells, the researchers used so-called CRISPR base editing technology. It can be used to change individual “letters” in the genome in a targeted manner. In this way, important signaling pathways in the cells can be precisely adjusted.
In preclinical mouse models, the team tested the modified immune cells in both initial and recurrent blood cancer after initially successful CAR T-cell therapy and metastatic neuroblastoma – the most common solid extracranial cancer in children. This rare, malignant tumor usually occurs in the abdomen or chest, and usually originates from the adrenal medulla or the nerve cords along the spine. In these difficult-to-treat models, the modified immune cells showed a significantly stronger and longer-lasting effect than previous approaches. The results thus provide important impetus for the further development of CAR T-cell therapy, especially in forms of cancer that have been difficult to treat so far.
Original Paper:
CAR-adapted PIK3CD base editing enhances T cell anti-tumor potency | Nature Cancer
Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR
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