JAK-STAT signaling could improve CAR T efficacy, persistence

In a paper published in Nature Medicine, researchers at University Health Network and University of Toronto suggested that adding a cytokine engagement domain to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells could increase both proliferation and persistence of the cells -- two factors that limit effectiveness of current CAR T cell therapies.

The new CAR T cell design involves incorporation of a Janus kinase (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling domain, which induces cytokine signaling in T cells after antigen engagement...