Given the roles of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as searchers and destroyers, it is no surprise that much of the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell development centers on “conventional” T cells. In contrast, regulatory T cells (Tregs) reside more in the background. However, as stewards of immune homeostasis, their role is no less important.
Interest in genetically engineered Tregs, including CAR-Tregs, for therapeutic use is growing. Leonardo Ferreira is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco, where he studies the effects of cell therapies on the immune system. We spoke to him about his work with CAR-Tregs.
The functional differences between CAR-Tregs and "conventional" CAR-T cells
While conventional CAR-T cell therapies are designed to kill specific cells, CAR-Tregs are designed to prevent cell killing. “Most T cells are dedicated to defending our body from pathogenic invaders and cancer. They recognize peptides derived from viruses, bacteria, or ...
