共表达IL-15和CCL19的EGFRvⅢ CAR-T细胞的构建和功能探究

Construction and functional analysis of EGFRvIII CAR-T cells co-expressing IL-15 and CCL19

摘要:

本研究分析了共表达白细胞介素-15 (interleukin-15, IL-15)和趋化因子配体19 (C-C chemokine ligand 19, CCL19)的EGFRvⅢ CAR-T细胞的功能特性及其体外特异性杀伤效果，旨在优化CAR-T细胞多项功能，提高靶向EGFRvⅢ 的CAR-T细胞对胶质母细胞瘤(glioblastoma, GBM)的治疗效果。通过基因工程技术获得重组慢病毒质粒，转染293T细胞获得慢病毒并感染T细胞获得靶向EGFRvⅢ的第四代CAR-T细胞(EGFRvⅢ-IL-15-CCL19 CAR-T)。利用流式细胞仪、细胞计数仪、趋化小室、凋亡试剂盒等检测了第四代和第二代CAR-T细胞(EGFRvⅢ CAR-T)的CAR分子表达率、增殖、趋化能力、体外特异性杀伤能力及抗凋亡能力等。结果表明，与EGFRvⅢ CAR-T细胞相比，EGFRvⅢ-IL-15-CCL19 CAR-T细胞能成功分泌IL-15和CCL19，具有更强的体外增殖能力、趋化能力以及抗凋亡能力(P值均<0.05)，而体外特异性杀伤能力无显著差异。因此，靶向EGFRvⅢ且同时分泌IL-15和CCL19的CAR-T细胞有望提高胶质母细胞瘤的治疗效果，为临床试验提供一定的参考依据。

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the functional characteristics and in vitro specific killing effect of EGFRvIII CAR-T cells co-expressing interleukin-15 and chemokine CCL19, in order to optimize the multiple functions of CAR-T cells and improve the therapeutic effect of CAR-T cells targeting EGFRvIII on glioblastoma (GBM). The recombinant lentivirus plasmid was obtained by genetic engineering, transfected into 293T cells to obtain lentivirus and infected T cells to obtain the fourth generation CAR-T cells targeting EGFRvIII (EGFRvIII-IL-15-CCL19 CAR-T). The expression rate of CAR molecules, proliferation, chemotactic ability, in vitro specific killing ability and anti-apoptotic ability of the fourth and second generation CAR-T cells (EGFRvIII CAR-T) were detected by flow cytometry, cell counter, chemotaxis chamber and apoptosis kit. The results showed that compared with EGFRvIII CAR-T cells, EGFRvIII-IL-15-CCL19 CAR-T cells successfully secreted IL-15 and CCL19, and had stronger proliferation, chemotactic ability and anti-apoptosis ability in vitro (all P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in killing ability in vitro. Therefore, CAR-T cells targeting EGFRvIII and secreting IL-15 and CCL19 are expected to improve the therapeutic effect of glioblastoma and provide an experimental basis for clinical trials.