One dose of protein-targeting CAR-T cells shrinks solid tumors in preclinical tests
CAR-T cell therapies have fundamentally transformed the treatment of several blood and lymph node cancers. However, their use in solid tumors such as liver, breast or lung cancer has so far been significantly more difficult. This is due, among other things, to the lack of suitable target structures on the cancer cells. Cancer immunotherapies typically target features that are characteristic of a…
A single dose of CAR-T cells targeting the MPZL1 protein has demonstrated the ability to shrink solid tumors in preclinical tests. This breakthrough was achieved through an unconventional approach, focusing on genes that are overexpressed in tumor cells but do not necessarily act as typical cancer drivers. The MPZL1 gene was identified through the analysis of genomic data from various types of cancer, with high expression levels present on the surface of cancer cells compared to healthy tissue.
In laboratory settings, MPZL1-specific CAR-T cells were successful in destroying tumor cells from cancer types including liver, breast, lung, pancreatic, and glioblastomas. Following one administration of these CAR-T cells, MPZL1-positive tumors significantly regressed in mice with solid tumors. The researchers stress that while these results are promising for the future of cancer immunotherapies, further investigation is needed to establish the safety and efficacy of the therapy for human patients.
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