IACH 2021 | T-cell dysfunction in CLL and implications for CAR-T
Arnon Kater, MD, PhD, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, discusses chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)-induced T-cell dysfunction and explains how understanding this process may help guide improvements for T-cell therapies. Currently, only a minority of patients respond effectively to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy because CLL cells induce T-cell dysfunction upon close contact. Prof. Kater explains that treatment with venetoclax or ibrutinib in combination with CAR T-cell therapy might help to solve this problem. In addition, recent data has shown that CD24 and CD52, two membrane factors expressed by CLL cells, might actively inhibit T-cell function in combination with SIGLEC10. Finally, Prof. Kater comments on the use of epigenetics to improve T-cell metabolic plasticity. This interview took place at the 4th Annual Meeting of the International Academy for Clinical Hematology (IACH), which took place virtually in 2021.
Disclosures
Arnon Kater, MD, PhD, has participated in advisory boards and/or received research grants from Abbvie, BMS, Janssen, Roche/Genentech and Astra Zeneca; and has received speakers fees from Abbvie.
