TYRP1-targeted CAR T cells for immunotherapy-resistant melanoma

CAR T cells targeting TYRP1, a transmembrane glycoprotein that is overexpressed on the surface of melanoma cells and promotes melanin synthesis, could help treat immunotherapy-resistant melanoma by using an antigen density threshold to selectively target tumor cells.

In bioinformatic analyses of public patient data, TYRP1 mRNA was expressed in 70% of melanoma tumors, and 35% had high levels of overexpression. In a panel of patient-derived melanoma cell lines, TYRP1 mRNA and protein was expressed in 27/54 of the cell lines, and 15/54 had high overexpression. ...