Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells: Self-Replicating Drugs for Cancer

Curr Drug Targets. 2017;18(3):332-340. doi: 10.2174/1389450116666150825120427.

Abstract

The chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology started out as a tool to understand lymphocyte biology but rapidly developed into a T cell therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancers. Here, we describe the technological advances in the field of CARs and highlight critical components of its success. Additionally, we describe how various laboratories have worked toward developing new, safer, and more potent CARs for cancer.

Keywords: Cell therapy; chimeric antigen receptor (CAR); gene therapy; synthetic biology..

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology*
  • Synthetic Biology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / transplantation*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell