CAR-T Cell Therapy: Overcoming Stalling for Better Cancer Treatment
CAR-T cell therapy is getting a significant upgrade. Scientists are modifying these cancer-fighting cells to overcome limitations in treating solid tumors. By engineering CAR-T cells to be resistant to an immune signaling molecule, interferon-gamma (IFNg), researchers are seeing promising results. This modification, achieved using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, enhances the cells’ expansion and longevity, vital components for effective cancer treatment. This could significantly boost the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy, which has already shown success against blood cancers. This study suggests a novel approach to the primary_keyword, perhaps revolutionizing treatment for other hard-to-treat cancers and improving overall efficiency. The research team plans to initiate a clinical trial. For more, explore this breakthrough at News Directory 3. Are these new modified cells the key to unlocking even better results? Discover what’s next …
Modified CAR-T Cell Therapy Shows Promise Against Solid Tumors
Updated June 16, 2025
A novel approach to CAR-T cell therapy may significantly improve its effectiveness against solid tumors. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have engineered CAR-T cells that are more durable and potent by preventing them from responding to interferon-gamma (IFNg) signaling.
CAR-T cells,which are T cells genetically modified to target and kill cancer cells,have shown remarkable success in treating blood cancers. Though, their efficacy against solid tumors has been limited. It was observed that CAR-T cells that do not release IFNg tend to expand more and survive longer, characteristics that enhance their cancer-fighting abilities.
The research team, led by Dr. Marcela Maus, created CAR-T cells that still release IFNg to kill tumor cells but are unable to respond to IFNg signaling. They achieved this by using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knock out the IFNg receptor (IFNgR) in the CAR-T cells.Without the receptor, IFNg cannot signal to the CAR-T cell, preventing premature cell death and exhaustion.
The scientists tested these IFNgR-knockout CAR-T cells, derived from healthy donors, against cancer cell lines in laboratory dishes and in mice wiht tumors. The results indicated that knocking out IFNgR boosted the expansion, persistence, and anti-tumor activity of the CAR-T cells in both settings.
According to the study, CAR-T cells unable to respond to IFNg signaling experienced less cell death after activation. By deleting the ifngr,the CAR-T cells were prevented from stalling,leading to increased efficacy and expansion in multiple models of solid tumors.
The findings suggest that this modification could improve CAR-T cell therapy for a wide range of tumor types by prolonging the cells’ survival and enhancing their ability to kill cancer cells.
What’s next
The researchers plan to initiate a clinical trial to test these modified CAR-T cells in patients with solid tumors, either through a collaboration with a company or as a new venture. Stefanie Bailey, Hana Takei, and Giulia escobar are co-lead authors of the paper detailing these findings.