T cell receptor-based immunotherapy: a review / 生物工程学报

T cells play central roles in anti-tumor immune responses. Immune checkpoint therapy, which is based on modulation of T cell reactivity, has achieved breakthrough in clinical treatment of multiple tumors. Moreover, adoptive T cell therapy, which includes mainly genetically engineered T cells, has shown substantial treatment efficacy in hematoma. Immune therapy has tremendously changed the scenario of clinical tumor treatment and become critical strategies for treating multiple tumors. T cell receptor (TCR) is the fundamental molecule responsible for the specificity of T cell recognition. TCRs could recognize peptides, which are derived from intracellular or extracellular tumor antigens, presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and are therefore highly sensitive to low antigen level. Thereby, TCRs are broadly recognized as promising molecules for the development of anti-tumor drugs. The approval of the first TCR drug in 2022 has initiated a new era for TCR-based therapeutics and since then, multiple TCR drugs have shown substantial treatment efficacy in multiple tumors. This review summarizes the progress of TCR-based immune therapeutic strategies, including T cell receptor-engineered T cell (TCR-T), TCR-based protein drugs, and other cell therapies based on TCR signaling, providing useful information for future design of immune therapeutics based on TCR.

Current situation and challenges of T cell receptor-engineered T cells in anti-tumor therapy / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#T cell receptor-engineered T cell (TCR-T) therapy is one of the hotspots in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Considerable achievements have been made since the first successful clinical trial in 2006. However, problems still remain in cytotoxicity, safety and persistence of TCR-T therapy despite the rapid development. Improving the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhancingchemotaxis, infiltration as well as activation of TCR-T cell will be the key to improve its anti-tumor effect. Neoantigens, which are highly tumor-specific and immunogenic,are the basis for safe and effective treatment and individualized cancer immunotherapy. Besides, infusion of less differentiated T cell subsets is also a reliable way to generate a long-lasting immune response. Here, combing with current research progress, we offer our perspectives on the current situation and challenges of TCR-T from the three aspects above.