AUTHOR=Liu Dian-Dian , Hong Wei-Cong , Qiu Kun-Yin , Li Xin-Yu , Liu Yong , Zhu Li-Wen , Lai Wei-Xin , Chen Han- , Yang Hua-Qing , Xu Lu-Hong , Fang Jian-Pei 

TITLE=Umbilical cord blood: A promising source for allogeneic CAR-T cells

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.944248

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2022.944248

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=Antigen chimeric receptor T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy is an effective treatment for relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R ALL). However, autologous CAR-T cells derived from patients with B-ALL often show poor amplification ability, exhaustion, and anergy. To overcome this limitation, allogeneic CAR-T cells may be used as effective substitutes; however, which source would be the best substitute is unclear. In this study, we compared the immunophenotype and antitumor efficacy of anti-CD19 CAR-T cells derived from healthy donor cord blood, healthy donor peripheral blood (PB), and peripheral blood of B-ALL patients (PB (patient)) in vitro and NCG immunodeficient mice, respectively. The results revealed that CAR-T cells derived from healthy donor CB and PB showed a higher proportion of naïve T and central memory T cells and longer tumor suppression in tumor-bearing mice than those of PB (patient). PB (patient) CAR-T cells had a higher proportion of Treg cells and released high levels of IL-10, which also suggests a poor prognosis. Thus, CAR-T cells derived from healthy donors have better anti-tumor efficacy than CAR-T cells derived from PB (patient), and CB may be a good source for allogeneic CAR-T cells.