Shen, Lyu, Xu, et al. developed a culture system for macrophage differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) to manufacture CAR macrophages. The generated hPSC-CAR-M had a pro-inflammatory phenotype, and engulfed and killed tumor cells in an antigen-dependent manner in vitro. In vivo, hPSC-CAR-M infiltrated tumors, but had limited activity and lost their pro-inflammatory phenotype. Co-administering monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) and IFNγ in tumor models in NOD mice improved the antitumor activity and mouse survival, which could be further improved by infusion of T cells, suggesting the hPSC-CAR-M activated T cells.

Contributed by Maartje Wouters

ABSTRACT: Generation of chimeric antigen receptor macrophages (CAR-Ms) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) offers new prospects for cancer immunotherapy but is currently challenged by low differentiation efficiency and limited function. Here, we develop a highly efficient monolayer-based system that can produce around 6,000 macrophages from a single hPSC within 3 weeks. Based on CAR structure screening, we generate hPSC-CAR-Ms with stable CAR expression and potent tumoricidal activity in vitro. To overcome the loss of tumoricidal activity of hPSC-CAR-Ms in vivo, we use interferon-_ and monophosphoryl lipid A to activate an innate immune response that repolarizes the hPSC-CAR-Ms to tumoricidal macrophages. Moreover, through combined activation of T cells by hPSC-CAR-Ms, we demonstrate that activating a collaborative innate-adaptive immune response can further enhance the anti-tumor effect of hPSC-CAR-Ms in vivo. Collectively, our study provides feasible methodologies that significantly improve the production and function of hPSC-CAR-Ms to support their translation into clinical applications.

Author Info: (1) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Disea

Author Info: (1) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. Electronic address: shenjun@ihcams.ac.cn. (2) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. (3) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. (4) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China; School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. (5) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China; School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China. (6) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China. (7) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. (8) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. (9) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. (10) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. (11) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. (12) Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China; Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunopathology, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400038, China. (13) Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China; Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunopathology, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400038, China. (14) School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China. (15) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. (16) School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: lixin253@mail.sysu.edu.cn. (17) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. Electronic address: wangjx@ihcams.ac.cn. (18) State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China; Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin 300020, China; Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China. Electronic address: chengtao@ihcams.ac.cn.