Immune 43: CAR-NK and CAR-MAC, thinking outside the CAR-T cell box

In this episode of Immune, the panel revisits chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, discussing recent advancements, limitations, and alternative approaches. The conversation covers the specificity of CAR-T cells, challenges in treating solid tumors, and strategies to overcome immunosuppressive tumor environments, including engineering CAR T-cells to secrete anti-PD-1 antibodies. The panel also explores the potential of CAR-NK cells and CAR-macrophages as alternative cell types for CAR therapy, highlighting their unique advantages and challenges. They address listener emails, including a discussion on dual expressor cells in type 1 diabetes, a paper on IgA plasma cells in the brain, and a question about blood donation for a lymphatic cancer survivor.