ASH 2020 | Metabolically flexible CAR T-cells exhibit superior survival and function in vitro
Frederick Locke, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, discusses the results of an in vitro study investigating the modification of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells to improve metabolic flexibility and enhance survival in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The study found that forced overexpression of mutant or truncated PGC-1α, which normally co-activates genes that upregulate mitochondrial and glycolytic machinery for ATP synthesis, enhanced mitochondrial quality control with commensurate function in CAR T-cell therapy. Metabolically flexible CAR T-cells exhibited improved survival and equivalent cytotoxicity, and are a promising new strategy to improve the function of CAR T-cells in the TME. This interview took place during the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, 2020.
