Abstract
Background/Aim: We previously established a novel type of epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII)-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing natural killer (NK) cell line, designated EvCAR-KHYG-1, which inhibited the growth of glioblastoma (GBM) cells in vitro via apoptosis. Materials and Methods: We investigated the cytokine-producing effect of EvCAR-KHYG-1 cells on GBM-like cell lines and their antitumour effect using in vivo xenograft assays. Results: EvCAR-KHYG-1 cells produced interleukin-2, interferon-γ, and tumour necrosis factor-α on EGFRvIII-expressing U87MG cells. In vivo xenograft assays showed that EvCAR-KHYG-1 cells did not reduce the volume of subcutaneous tumours derived from EGFRvIII-expressing U87MG cells but did reduce tumour cell occupancy. Conclusion: EvCAR-KHYG-1 cells led to expression of cellular immunity-related cytokines on EGFRvIII-expressing U87MG in vitro but did not inhibit tumour progression due to the induction of a pseudo progression-like pathological feature. Future studies investigating the effect of different conditions in vivo are required to study the inhibition of tumour progression in GBM.
- Chimeric antigen receptor
- natural killer cells
- glioblastoma
- epidermal growth factor receptor variant III
- Received April 30, 2020.
- Revision received May 14, 2020.
- Accepted May 15, 2020.
- Copyright© 2020, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved