CAR-T strategy developed to lyse MM tumor cells and prevent osteolytic lesions
Sun F, Cheng Y, Chen J-R, et al. BCMA- and CST6-Specific CAR T Cells Lyse Multiple Myeloma Cells and Suppress Murine Osteolytic Lesions. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2023; (doi: 10.1172/JCI171396).
Researchers have developed a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell construct that effectively lyses multiple myeloma (MM) tumor cells and also protects against osteolytic lesions. Observations in xenografted MM mice revealed that CAR T cells engineered with B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and cystatin E/M (CST6), a type of protease inhibitor, suppressed MM growth to a similar degree as CAR T cells made with BCMA alone. Unlike BCMA-CAR-T, BCMA-CST6-CAR-T blocked MM-mediated bone damage and reduced osteoclast numbers. According to the investigators, BCMA-CST6-CAR T-cells inhibit differentiation and formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclasts.