1区 · 综合性期刊
ArticleOA
作者: Li, Shanglin ; Wang, Suna ; Liu, Pentao ; Li, Xiaoping ; Pan, Huixia ; Thiery, Jean Paul ; Wei, Wei ; Luo, Xuequn ; Weinkove, Robert ; Qin, Dajiang ; Yao, Yao ; Tang, Qiannan ; Jiang, Zhiwu ; Zhao, Ruocong ; Long, Youguo ; Wu, Qiting ; Tang, Zhaoyang ; Li, Peng ; Yang, Jie ; Qin, Le ; Cui, Yuanbin ; Chen, Dongmei ; Zhang, Zhenfeng ; Yuan, Tingjie
AbstractCo-expression of chimeric switch receptors (CSRs) specific for PD-L1 improves the antitumor effects of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. However, the effects of trans-recognition between CSRs and PD-L1 expressed by activated CAR T cells remain unclear. Here, we design a CSR specific for PD-L1 (CARP), containing the transmembrane and cytoplasmic signaling domains of CD28 but not the CD3 ζ chain. We show that CARP T cells enhance the antitumor activity of anti-mesothelin CAR (CARMz) T cells in vitro and in vivo. In addition, confocal microscopy indicates that PD-L1 molecules on CARMz T cells accumulate at cell-cell contacts with CARP T cells. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis, we reveal that CARP T cells promote CARMz T cells differentiation into central memory-like T cells, upregulate genes related to Th1 cells, and downregulate Th2-associated cytokines through the CD70-CD27 axis. Moreover, these effects are not restricted to PD-L1, as CAR19 T cells expressing anti-CD19 CSR exhibit similar effects on anti-PSCA CAR T cells with truncated CD19 expression. These findings suggest that target trans-recognition by CSRs on CAR T cells may improve the efficacy and persistence of CAR T cells via the CD70-CD27 axis.