Induction of immortal-like and functional CAR-T cells by defined factors

Abstract

Long-term antitumor efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells depends on their functional persistence in vivo. T cells with stem-like property show better persistence, but factors conferring T cells bona fide stemness remain to be determined. Here, we demonstrate the induction of CAR-T cells into an immortal-like and functional state, termed TIF. The induction of CAR-TIF cells depends on repression of two factors: BCOR and ZC3H12A, and requires antigen or CAR tonic signaling. The reprogrammed CAR-TIF cells possess almost infinite stemness resembling induced pluripotent stem cells but retain functionality of mature T cells, which exhibit superior antitumor effect. CAR-TIF cells enter a metabolically dormant state after elimination of target cells, which persist in vivo with a saturable niche and mediate memory protection. CAR-TIF cells represent a novel state of T cells with unprecedented stemness conferring long-term functional persistence of CAR-T cells in vivo, which have broad potentials in T cell therapies.