B cell lineage reconstitution underlies CAR-T cell therapeutic efficacy in patients with refractory myasthenia gravis
Dai‐Shi Tian, Chuan Qin, Ming‐Hao Dong, Michael Heming, Luo‐Qi Zhou, Wen Wang, Wen Wang, Song-Bai Cai, Yun‐Fan You, Ke Shang, Jun Xiao, Di Wang, Chunrui Li, Min Zhang, Bitao Bu, Gerd Meyer zu Hörste, Wei Wang, Wei Wang
Abstract
Abstract B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), expressed in plasmablasts and plasma cells, could serve as a promising therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases. We reported here chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting BCMA in two patients with highly relapsed and refractory myasthenia gravis (one with AChR-IgG, and one with MuSk-IgG). Both patients exhibited favorable safety profiles and persistent clinical improvements over 18 months. Reconstitution of B-cell lineages with sustained reduced pathogenic autoantibodies might underlie the therapeutic efficacy. To identify the possible mechanisms underlying the therapeutic efficacy of CAR-T cells in these patients, longitudinal single-cell RNA and TCR sequencing was conducted on serial blood samples post infusion as well as their matching infusion products. By tracking the temporal evolution of CAR-T phenotypes, we demonstrated that proliferating cytotoxic-like CD8 clones were the main effectors in autoimmunity, whereas compromised cytotoxic and proliferation signature and profound mitochondrial dysfunction in CD8 + Te cells before infusion and subsequently defect CAR-T cells after manufacture might explain their characteristics in these patients. Our findings may guide future studies to improve CAR T-cell immunotherapy in autoimmune diseases.