Project Details
Overcoming barriers for T cell therapy of hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma (B07)
Subject Area
Immunology
Term
since 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 452881907
Natural T cell immunity can control the hepatitis B virus (HBV) but fails in patients with chronic hepatitis B causing liver disease and cancer. T cells can be specifically redirected to HBV-positive hepatocytes and cancer using CARs or TCRs we have developed. Despite good T cell engraftment, however, we were not able to completely eliminate HBV in immune competent animals so far while the approach was very effective in immune-deficient mice transplanted with human hepatocytes. This project aims at overcoming limited TCR- and CAR-T cell effector function by defining and combining optimal TCRs, and altering hypothesized restricting factor such as viral antigen load and low antigen presentation levels.
DFG Programme
CRC/Transregios
Applicant Institution
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Project Head
Professorin Dr. Ulrike Protzer