Advances in integrating biomaterials with CAR-T cells for enhancing solid tumor therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell immunotherapy has emerged as a transformative modality in immuno-oncology. However, the clinical translation of CAR-T therapy for solid tumors remains significantly limited by physical barriers, an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), and treatment-related toxicities. Advances in biomaterials have demonstrated substantial potential to address these constraints through synergistic integration with CAR-T cells. This review systematically examines therapeutic applications of CAR-T cells combined with diverse biomaterial platforms, including nanoparticles, antibody-functionalized systems, and hydrogels. Critical analysis is provided on the multifaceted roles of biomaterials in enhancing CAR-T efficacy, specifically by promoting T cell activation and proliferation, improving tumor targeting, and reprogramming the immunosuppressive TME. Collectively, this review delivers a comprehensive analysis of CAR-T-biomaterial integration strategies, offering mechanistic and translational insights to advance solid tumor therapies.