Scattered seeding of CAR T cells in solid tumors augments anticancer efficacy
Hongjun Li, Zejun Wang, Edikan A. Ogunnaike, Qing Wu, Guojun Chen, Quanyin Hu, Tianyuan Ci, Zhaowei Chen, Jinqiang Wang, Di Wen, Hongwei Du, Jie Jiang, Jie Sun, Xingcai Zhang, Gianpietro Dotti, Zhen Gu
Abstract
Abstract Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy was a milestone in the treatment of relapsed and refractory B cell malignancies. However, beneficial effects of CAR T cells have not been obtained in solid tumors yet. Herein, we implement a porous microneedle patch that accommodates CAR T cells and allows in situ penetration-mediated seeding of CAR T cells when implanted in the tumor bed or in the post-surgical resection cavity. CAR T cells loaded in the pores of the microneedle tips were readily escorted to the tumor in an evenly scattered manner without losing their activity. Such microneedle-mediated local delivery enhanced infiltration and immunostimulation of CAR T cells as compared to direct intratumoral injection. This tailorable patch offers a transformative platform for scattered seeding of living cells for treating a variety of tumors.