Modification of cytokine-induced killer cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) enhances antitumor immunity to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive malignancies

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Abstract

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, ErbB1, Her-1) is a cell surface molecule overexpressing in a variety of human malignancies and, thus, is an excellent target for immunotherapy. Immunotherapy targeting EGFR-overexpressing malignancies using genetically modified immune effector cells is a novel and promising approach. In the present study, we have developed an adoptive cellular immunotherapy strategy based on the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified cytokine-induced killer (CAR-CIK) cells specific for the tumor cells expressing EGFR. To generate CAR-CIK cells, a lentiviral vector coding the EGFR-specific CAR was constructed and transduced into the CIK cells. The CAR-CIK cells showed significantly enhanced cytotoxicity and increased production of cytokines IFN-γ and IL-2 when co-cultured with EGFR-positive cancer cells. In tumor xenografts, adoptive immunotherapy of CAR-CIK cells could inhibit tumor growth and prolong the survival of EGFR-overexpressing human tumor xenografts. Moreover, tumor growth inhibition and prolonged survival in mice with EGFR+ human cancer were associated with the increased persistence of CAR-CIK cells in vivo. Our study indicates that modification with EGFR-specific CAR strongly enhances the antitumor activity of the CIK cells against EGFR-positive malignancies.

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Ren, X., Ma, W., Lu, H., Yuan, L., An, L., Wang, X., … Zuo, S. (2015). Modification of cytokine-induced killer cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) enhances antitumor immunity to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive malignancies. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy, 64(12), 1517–1529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-015-1757-6

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