162 - Regulatory T Cell Engineered with Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR-Treg) for Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases

Abstract

The adoptive transfer of autologous Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties brings the promises of a breakthrough therapeutic strategy for the treatment of patients with severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, escaping to conventional treatments. Clinical results obtained with autologous antigen-specific Tregs in Crohn's Disease and with autologous polyclonal Tregs in Type 1 Diabetes showed a good tolerability together with promising signs of efficacy. Not surprisingly, comparative results obtained with Treg cells in animal models of inflammatory diseases suggest that antigen-specific Tregs are more efficient than polyclonal Treg cells for the in vivo inhibition of inflammation. On T lymphocytes, antigen-specificity could be either obtained through the natural T Cell Receptor (TCR) or through gene transduction of a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR). Treg cells engineered with CARs have a stable Treg phenotype and displays immunoregulatory activities upon ligation of the CAR with the target antigen. Several CAR-Treg cell based approaches have been described in the literature showing in vivo and in vitro efficacy and bringing a new dimension to the already known Treg cell therapy approach.