Generation and application of universal T cells for B-ALL

摘要

The present invention is directed to universal T cells and their use in treating diseases and other physiological conditions. More specifically, the present invention is directed to universal T cells and their use in treating treating B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) in particular and malignancy in general. The universal T cells contain (i) nucleic acid encoding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to redirect their antigen specificity and effector function and (ii) nucleic acids encoding shRNA and/or siRNA molecules to down-regulate cell-surface expression of T cell classical HLA class I and/or II genes to avoid recognition by recipient T cells. The universal T cells may also contain a nucleic acid encoding a non-classical HLA gene, such as an HLA E gene to enforce expression of HLA E genes and/or an HLA G gene to enforce expression of HLA G genes, to avoid recognition by recipient NK cells. The universal T cells may further contain a nucleic acid encoding a selection-suicide gene.