Go to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • All ...
  • Videos
  • Collections
    • In-Press Preview
    • Resource and Technical Advances
    • Clinical Research and Public Health
    • Research Letters
    • Editorials
    • Perspectives
    • Physician-Scientist Development
    • Reviews
    • Top read articles

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • In-Press Preview
  • Resource and Technical Advances
  • Clinical Research and Public Health
  • Research Letters
  • Editorials
  • Perspectives
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Reviews
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptor promote immune tolerance
Antonio Pierini, Bettina P. Iliopoulou, Heshan Peiris, Magdiel Pérez-Cruz, Jeanette Baker, Katie Hsu, Xueying Gu, Ping-Ping Zheng, Tom Erkers, Sai-Wen Tang, William Strober, Maite Alvarez, Aaron Ring, Andrea Velardi, Robert S. Negrin, Seung K. Kim, Everett H. Meyer
Antonio Pierini, Bettina P. Iliopoulou, Heshan Peiris, Magdiel Pérez-Cruz, Jeanette Baker, Katie Hsu, Xueying Gu, Ping-Ping Zheng, Tom Erkers, Sai-Wen Tang, William Strober, Maite Alvarez, Aaron Ring, Andrea Velardi, Robert S. Negrin, Seung K. Kim, Everett H. Meyer
View: Text | PDF
Research Article Immunology Transplantation

T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptor promote immune tolerance

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

Cellular therapies based on permanent genetic modification of conventional T cells have emerged as a promising strategy for cancer. However, it remains unknown if modification of T cell subsets, such as Tregs, could be useful in other settings, such as allograft transplantation. Here, we use a modular system based on a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that binds covalently modified mAbs to control Treg activation in vivo. Transient expression of this mAb-directed CAR (mAbCAR) in Tregs permitted Treg targeting to specific tissue sites and mitigated allograft responses, such as graft-versus-host disease. mAbCAR Tregs targeted to MHC class I proteins on allografts prolonged islet allograft survival and also prolonged the survival of secondary skin grafts specifically matched to the original islet allograft. Thus, transient genetic modification to produce mAbCAR T cells led to durable immune modulation, suggesting therapeutic targeting strategies for controlling alloreactivity in settings such as organ or tissue transplantation.

Authors

Antonio Pierini, Bettina P. Iliopoulou, Heshan Peiris, Magdiel Pérez-Cruz, Jeanette Baker, Katie Hsu, Xueying Gu, Ping-Ping Zheng, Tom Erkers, Sai-Wen Tang, William Strober, Maite Alvarez, Aaron Ring, Andrea Velardi, Robert S. Negrin, Seung K. Kim, Everett H. Meyer

×

Figure 6

FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs home and expand in proximity to allogeneic pancreatic islet grafts.

Options: View larger image (or click on image) Download as PowerPoint
FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs home and expand in proximity to allogeneic pancr...
(A) FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs show enhanced localization to the islet allograft. Representative BLI images of sublethally irradiated mice that received a graft of allogeneic pancreatic islets alone, pancreatic islets + luc+ FITC-isotype-mAbCAR Tregs, and pancreatic islets + luc+ FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs at day 10 after adoptive transfer. Data are representative of 1 of 3 consecutive experiments. (B) BLI-based quantification of FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs in proximity of the graft. The graph represents BLI signal from standardized regions of interest in left kidney area (graft site) in sublethally irradiated mice that received a graft of allogeneic pancreatic islets alone (black), pancreatic islets + luc+ FITC-isotype-mAbCAR Tregs (blue), and pancreatic islets + luc+ FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs (red) at day 3, 5, 7 and 10 after adoptive transfer. Data are representative of 1 of 3 consecutive experiments; at least 5 mice per group were used. ANOVA test with Bonferroni post-test; mean ± SEM; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. (C) Mice receiving FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs show improved islet allografts. Representative hematoxylin and eosin–stained histologic sections of allogeneic pancreatic grafts in mice that received no Treg treatment, GFP+-FITC-isotype-mAbCAR Tregs, or GFP+-FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs 10 days after transplantation and Treg transfer (arrows = pancreatic islets under the kidney capsule). Original magnification, ×20. (D) FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Treg localization in proximity of the grafts. Confocal microscopy analysis demonstrates presence of transferred Tregs (GFP+, white, red arrows) in proximity of islet grafts (insulin, green) only in mice that received GFP+-FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs. Data are representative of 1 of 3 consecutive experiments; at least 5 mice/group were used. Original magnification, ×63; ×200 (insets). (E) Mice receiving FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs show increased Treg numbers. Percentage of transferred GFP+ Tregs in spleens of mice that received no Treg treatment, FITC-isotype-mAbCAR Tregs, and FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs at 10 days after transplant. Data are representative of 1 of 2 consecutive experiments; at least 4 mice per group were used. (F) Mice receiving FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs show increased Treg activation. Expression of CD25 and CD69 was assessed by flow cytometry in previously transferred GFP+ Tregs reisolated from spleens of mice that received FITC-isotype-mAbCAR Tregs (blue) or FITC-H-2Dd-mAbCAR Tregs (red) at 10 days after transplant. Data are representative of 1 of 2 consecutive experiments; at least 4 mice/group were used.

Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN 2379-3708

Sign up for email alerts