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Updated: Sep 13, 2025
A Real-time Potency Assay for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Targeting Solid and Hematological Cancer Cells
Published on: November 12, 2019
Lentinan enhances CAR-T cell potency in solid tumors by optimizing T cell differentiation.
Xiangyun Niu1,2, Pengchao Zhang1,2, Zhongming Liu1
1Guangdong Immune Cell Therapy Engineering and Technology Research Center, Center for Protein and Cell-based Drugs, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Lentinan (LTN) enhances CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors by boosting immune cell function and persistence. This novel strategy improves tumor control and may overcome current limitations in cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- CAR-T cell therapy shows promise for blood cancers but struggles with solid tumors.
- Existing CAR-T approaches face challenges in solid tumor efficacy and persistence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Lentinan (LTN) as an enhancer for CAR-T cell therapy against solid tumors.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which LTN improves CAR-T cell function and anti-tumor activity.
Main Methods:
- In vitro assessment of CAR-T cell cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion upon LTN treatment.
- Analysis of CAR-T cell phenotype (memory markers, exhaustion markers) and gene expression.
- In vivo studies combining LTN and CAR-T cells in murine solid tumor models (colon carcinoma, melanoma).
Main Results:
- LTN significantly increased CAR-T cell cytotoxicity and IL-2/IFN-γ secretion in vitro.
- LTN promoted CAR-T cell differentiation into memory phenotypes (CD44+CD62L+, TCF1+) and reduced exhaustion markers (TIM-3, CD317).
- LTN upregulated TCF1 and FOXO1 expression in CAR-T cells.
- Combination therapy with LTN and CAR-T cells improved tumor control in vivo, enhancing CAR-T cell persistence and M1-like TAM reprogramming.
Conclusions:
- Lentinan (LTN) is a potent immunomodulator that enhances CAR-T cell function against solid tumors.
- LTN improves CAR-T cell fitness, persistence, and overcomes tumor microenvironment suppression.
- This study presents a novel, translatable strategy to potentiate CAR-T therapy for solid malignancies.
