HRG1β-CAR-T cells

HRG1β-CAR-T cells are a form of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in which patient-derived T lymphocytes are genetically engineered to express a CAR constructed from the extracellular domain of human heregulin-1β (HRG1β), a natural ligand for the HER3 (ErbB3) and HER4 (ErbB4) receptors. This design enables the T cells to specifically recognize and kill HER3-overexpressing cancer cells, particularly in breast cancers that also often overexpress HER2. Preclinical data show potent and selective cytotoxicity against HER3-positive breast cancer cell lines (such as SK-BR-3 and BT-474) both in vitro and in vivo, significantly suppressing tumor growth and prolonging survival in xenograft models. The use of an endogenous ligand as the CAR binding domain aims to enhance tumor specificity and reduce immunogenicity compared to scFv-based CARs. This approach offers potential for overcoming resistance to existing HER2-targeted therapies[1].