Immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has been advancing steadily in clinical trials. Since the ability of engineered T cells to recognize intended tumor-associated targets is crucial for the therapeutic success, antigen-binding domains play an important role in shaping T-cell responses. Single-chain antibody and T-cell receptor fragments, natural ligands, repeat proteins, combinations of the above and universal tag-specific domains have all been used in the antigen-binding moiety of chimeric receptors. Here we outline the advantages and disadvantages of different domains, discuss the concepts of affinity and specificity, and highlight the recent progress of each targeting strategy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.