Diversity of CAR-cell therapies in cancer treatment and their future approach

Abstract

T cells, a type of immune cell, are activated as part of the overall immune system and eliminate virus-infected cells and cancer cells. CAR-T cell therapy is an immunotherapy that aims to efficiently eliminate cancer cells by expressing recombinant chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that can directly recognize cancer cells in T cells. While CAR-T cell therapy is expected to be highly effective, it has issues such as reduced effectiveness due to immune escapes by cancer cells, frequent side effects such as fever, and severe side effects due to a systemic inflammatory response called cytokine release syndrome. This review summarizes the basis of CAR structure research and introduces the technology of dual-targeted CAR, which can recognize multiple tumor antigens, and the concept of logic-gated CAR, which controls activation by applying logic gates. Both of these were developed as solutions to these issues. Moreover, considering the application of CAR technology to various immune cells, including NK cells, we will prospect the future image of "CAR-cell therapy," which encompasses all CAR technologies.