The aim of this study was to investigate the functional characteristics and in vitro specific killing effect of EGFRvIII CAR-T cells co-expressing interleukin-15 and chemokine CCL19, in order to optimize the multiple functions of CAR-T cells and improve the therapeutic effect of CAR-T cells targeting EGFRvIII on glioblastoma (GBM). The recombinant lentivirus plasmid was obtained by genetic engineering, transfected into 293T cells to obtain lentivirus and infected T cells to obtain the fourth generation CAR-T cells targeting EGFRvIII (EGFRvIII-IL-15-CCL19 CAR-T). The expression rate of CAR molecules, proliferation, chemotactic ability, in vitro specific killing ability and anti-apoptotic ability of the fourth and second generation CAR-T cells (EGFRvIII CAR-T) were detected by flow cytometry, cell counter, chemotaxis chamber and apoptosis kit. The results showed that compared with EGFRvIII CAR-T cells, EGFRvIII-IL-15-CCL19 CAR-T cells successfully secreted IL-15 and CCL19, and had stronger proliferation, chemotactic ability and anti-apoptosis ability in vitro (all P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in killing ability in vitro. Therefore, CAR-T cells targeting EGFRvIII and secreting IL-15 and CCL19 are expected to improve the therapeutic effect of glioblastoma and provide an experimental basis for clinical trials.
Humans ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism* ; Glioblastoma/metabolism* ; Interleukin-15/metabolism* ; Chemokine CCL19/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; T-Lymphocytes/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expressions of chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6), chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) and their ligands (CCL20, CCL19/CCL21) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), and then explore their correlation with the clinicopathological features of LSCC. METHOD: Blood samples, fresh specimens of LSCC and paired adjacent tissues were collected. The expressions of CCR6, CCR7 and their ligands CCL20, CCL19/ CCL21 mRNA as well as the protein CCR6, CCR7 were detected by real-time qRT-PCR and IHC respectively. Flow cytometry was also used to investigate CCR6, CCR7 expressed on PBMC. RESULT: The relative expression levels of CCR6, CCR7, CCL19 and CCL21 mRNA in tumor tissue was significantly higher than that of adjacent tissues (P < 0.05), while the relative expression level of CCL20 mRNA in tumor tissue were significantly lower than that of adjacent tissues (P < 0.05). IHC confirmed the expression of protein CCR6 and CCR7 in both tumor tissue and metastatic ILN and the expression levels of protein CCR6, CCR7 were higher in the cases with lymphatic metastasis than that of those without lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05). FCM showed the percentage of CD4+ CCR6+ T cells of LSCC was significantly higher than that of normal control (P < 0.05), while that of CD4+ CCR7+ T cells was significantly lower (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION CCR6 and CCR7 are expressed in tumor situ, metastatic LN and PBMC,and might exert a potential role in LSCC development.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chemokine CCL19 ; metabolism ; Chemokine CCL20 ; metabolism ; Chemokine CCL21 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, CCR6 ; metabolism ; Receptors, CCR7 ; metabolism

Adoptive immunotherapy based on chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR-T) is one of the most promising strategies to treat malignant tumors, but its application in solid tumors is still limited. Glypican-3 (GPC3) is a meaningful diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The second/third generation GPC3-targeted CAR-T cells are generated to treat HCC. In order to improve the therapeutic effect, we constructed a fourth-generation lentiviral vector to express GPC3 CAR, human interleukin-7 (IL-7) and CCL19. Then the lentiviral vector and packaging plasmids were co-transfected into HEK293T cells to generate CAR lentiviral particles. Human T lymphocyte cells were transduced with CAR lentiviral to develop the fourth-generation GPC3-targeted CAR-T cells (GPC3-BBZ-7×19). In vitro, we used cell counting, transwell assay, luciferase bioluminescence assay and flow cytometry to compare the proliferation, chemotaxis, cytotoxicity and subtype distribution between GPC3-BBZ-7×19 CAR-T cells and the second generation GPC3-targeted CAR-T cells (GPC3-BBZ). In vivo, we established GPC3-positive HCC xenograft model in immunodeficient mice, then untransduced T cells (non-CAR-T) or GPC3-BBZ-7×19 CAR-T cells were injected. Tumor growth in mice was observed by bioluminescence imaging. Results showed that compared with GPC3-BBZ CAR-T, GPC3-BBZ-7×19 CAR-T cells had stronger proliferation, chemotactic ability, and higher composition of memory stem T cells (Tscm) (P values<0.05). However, there were no significant difference in cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion between them. In addition, GPC3-BBZ-7×19 CAR-T cells could significantly eliminate GPC3-positive HCC xenografts established in immunodeficient mice. Therefore, the fourth-generation GPC3-targeted CAR-T cells (secreting IL-7 and CCL19) are expected to be more durable and effective against HCC and produce tumor-specific memory, to provide a preclinical research basis for future clinical trials.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chemokine CCL19 ; metabolism ; Glypicans ; metabolism ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Interleukin-7 ; metabolism ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Liver Neoplasms ; Mice ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays