The functional verification of EGFR-CAR T-cells targeted to hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to validate the antitumor function of EGFR-chimeric antigen T-cells (CART) targeted to FaDu cells, a hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell line, and to provide a preclinical basis for the application of CART cell technology in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Detection of cytokine secretions of EGFR-CAR T and CART-controls in the presence of target cells and nontarget cells as an indicator of CART cell activation. Detection of the cytotoxic effects of EGFR-CAR T on specific tumors in the presence of target cells was evaluated by LDH release and CART cell proliferation. RESULTS: The results showed that cytokine secretion increased significantly after EGFR-CAR T-cells were incubated with target cells, and EGFR-CAR T-cells has higher cytotoxic effect on target cells than the CART-control group. The target cell lysis rate was 52.66%. The proliferation of EGFR-CAR T-cells in the presence of target cells was not distinctly observed. CONCLUSION: In this study, we validated the antitumor function of EGFR-CAR T-cells targeted to the FaDu cell line and provided the foundation for application of the CART technique in the treatment of hypopharyngeal carcinoma.