CAR T-Cell Immunotherapy Treating T-ALL: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), a form of T-cell malignancy, is a typically aggressive hematological malignancy with high rates of disease relapse and a poor prognosis. Current guidelines do not recommend any specific treatments for these patients, and only allogeneic stem cell transplant, which is associated with potential risks and toxicities, is a curative therapy. Recent clinical trials showed that immunotherapies, including monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, and CAR T therapies, are successful in treating hematologic malignancies. CAR T cells, which specifically target the B-cell surface antigen CD19, have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in the treatment of B-cell acute leukemia, and some progress has been made in the treatment of other hematologic malignancies. However, the development of CAR T-cell immunotherapy targeting T-cell malignancies appears more challenging due to the potential risks of fratricide, T-cell aplasia, immunosuppression, and product contamination. In this review, we discuss the current status of and challenges related to CAR T-cell immunotherapy for T-ALL and review potential strategies to overcome these limitations.