The brief introduction of CAR T-cell: From mechanism to application

Abstract

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) gene therapy is a newly developed solution to fight tumor cells. The therapy develops from the combination of the immunity and cell bioengineering, taking advantage of the cell killing function of T-cells, scientists modify them with a bioengineering method to target specific cells. In recent days, this therapy shows great results in several trials especially in hematological malignancies. However, there are still many obstacles, such as toxicities, that need to be overcome. Taking the promising potentials of CAR T-cell gene therapy, it is still a revolutionary step in the improvement of immunotherapy. In this paper, we focus on the structure and target antigens of CAR T-cell, summarize the generations of CAR T-cell gene therapies, as well as list out the FDA approved treatments using CAR. Most importantly, we will discuss the past advancements, recent innovations, and the existing factors that still prevent CAR T-cells from becoming the first line treatment for cancers.