EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes

EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are an adoptive cell therapy consisting of T cells that have been expanded and activated to recognize antigens from the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). In the specific context of research at Baylor College of Medicine, these cells are utilized as a specialized cellular platform for the expression of Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs), such as the 14g2a.zeta construct targeting the GD2 antigen. The primary therapeutic rationale for using EBV-specific CTLs as a scaffold for CAR-T therapy is their ability to persist for extended periods in the patient's circulation, potentially overcoming the limited durability often seen with conventional CAR-T cells. This dual-specificity approach allows the cells to target neuroblastoma via the GD2-CAR while receiving endogenous survival signals through their native T-cell receptors upon encounter with EBV antigens, thereby enhancing the anti-tumor response in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Other names

EBV specific CTLsEBV-CTLsGD2-CAR EBV-CTLsGD-2-CAR EBV-CTLsGD 2-CAR EBV-CTLsEpstein-Barr virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes