A new study is underway at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center to develop a novel imaging technique that allows for the visualization of CAR T-cells after they have been injected into cancer patients. Funded by a $2.3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the research aims to improve the understanding of CAR T-cell distribution and persistence, particularly in solid tumors where the therapy has shown limited success. This innovative approach could lead to more personalized and effective cancer treatments.
The Need for Improved Tracking
CAR T-cell therapy involves collecting a patient's own immune cells, genetically engineering them to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), and then infusing them back into the patient to target cancer cells. While this therapy has revolutionized the treatment of certain liquid tumors like lymphoma and leukemia, its efficacy in solid tumors remains a challenge. A significant obstacle is the lack of reliable methods to track CAR T-cells within the body post-infusion.
"Currently we lack a reliable way to track CAR T cells in the body postinfusion, especially in patients with solid tumors," said Nalinikanth Kotagiri, PhD, a researcher at the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy and a member of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. "In cases where therapy does not succeed, we cannot confirm if the cells even reached the tumor or were able to persist in those regions."
Adapting Imaging Technology
The researchers are adapting a technique previously used to image specific pathogens in the lungs. This method involves using specialized contrast agents that selectively bind to bacterial receptors, which then become visible during positron emission tomography (PET) scans. The team is genetically engineering CAR T-cells to express these same bacterial receptors, enabling the cells to take up the contrast agents and become visible on PET scans.
This approach aims to provide real-time insights into the location and persistence of CAR T-cells within the body. Because CAR T-cells divide and produce new cells over time, this technique may also allow for the tracking of cell lineage, providing valuable data on the behavior of the modified cells long after injection.
Potential for Personalized Treatment
The NCI grant will enable Dr. Kotagiri and his colleagues to continue their research using this technique in animal models and human solid tumor samples. By gaining a better understanding of where the cells go and how long they persist in the body, physicians may be able to optimize CAR T-cell therapy based on precise cellular behavior.
"By tracking CAR T cells in real time, we gain personalized insights that could inform adjustments in therapy, such as dosing frequency or cell-engineering strategies, offering a unique 'journey into the body' of each patient's treatment response," Dr. Kotagiri concluded.
