Researchers have developed a new type of engineered immune cell, called “fifth-generation CAR T cells,” to fight cholangiocarcinoma, a severe bile duct cancer that is often hard to treat. These new cells are designed to specifically attack cancer cells by recognizing a marker called integrin αvβ6. What’s unique is that these engineered cells also release a substance that blocks a protein called PD-L1, which cancer cells use to hide from the immune system. Lab tests showed that these new CAR T cells were more effective at killing cancer cells and remained active longer than previous versions. They also did better at penetrating cancer clusters. These results suggest a promising new approach for treating this challenging cancer, and more studies are planned.
Funding
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Original Paper
Title of original paper: Enhanced cytotoxicity against cholangiocarcinoma by fifth-generation chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting integrin αvβ6 and secreting anti-PD-L1 scFv
Journal: Journal of Translational Medicine (J Transl Med)
DOI: 10.1186/s12967-025-06453-y
Correspondence
Mutita Junking, E-mail: [email protected]
Pa-Thai Yenchitsomanus, E-mail: [email protected]
Siriraj Center of Research Excellence for Cancer Immunotherapy (SiCORE-CIT), Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand and Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.