Targeted therapy for GBM using CAR T-Cells and CMV Volume 5 - Issue 4

Felix Corr^1,2*, Philipp Einheuser¹, Beat Alessandri¹, Florian Ringel¹ and Harald Krenzlin¹

• ¹Department of Neurosurgery, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Germany
• ²EDU Medical College, Villa Bighi, Chaplain’s House Kalkara, Malta

Received:May 17, 2021   Published:May 21, 2021

Corresponding author:Felix Corr, Department of Neurosurgery, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Langenbeckstrase 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany

DOI: 10.32474/OJNBD.2021.05.000221

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Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor associated with poor prognosis and mortality. Despite optimal primary therapy, median survival remains poor. New approaches to tumor eradication are lacking and urgently needed to improve patient survival and quality of life. Immunotherapies promise new treatment strategies in addition to standard treatment. Checkpoint inhibition and programmed death ligand 1 blockage so far have failed to mount a clinical impact in glioblastoma. Modified T-cells are seen as a novel promising therapy as they have not been extensively tested in glioblastoma. Today, such modified T-cells are established in the treatment hematological malignancies. Approaches include adoptive transfer of T-cells genetically engineered with a receptor that targets tumor-associated antigens (TAAs).

Chimeric antigen receptor generated by transferring domains derived from antibodies and T-cell receptors that interact with specific TAAs can provide specific recognition of TAAs. To overcome obstacles in terms of specificity of the TCRs, single chain T-cell receptors might be a promising approach. The role of cytomegalovirus (CMV) for immunotherapy is debated in the literature. Establishment of CMV as a potential antigen for targeted immunotherapy in glioblastoma could be a promising approach in combination with CAR T-cell therapy. In this context, single chain fragment variable may play an important role in the recognition of target antigens. We sought to examine the current state of the literature with respect to CAR T-cell therapy for glioblastoma associated with a CMV positive serotype. Clinically, such an association could lead to the production of new experimental therapies.

Keywords: Glioblastoma; GBM; CAR T-cell; Chimeric Antigen Receptor; T-lymphocytes; Cytomegalovirus; CMV; Immunotherapy; Targeted Therapy; Central Nervous System Neoplasms

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