Astragalus polysaccharide enhances antitumoral effects of chimeric antigen receptor- engineered (CAR) T cells by increasing CD122+CXCR3+PD-1- memory T cells

Chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T (CAR-T) cell therapy of cancer has been a hotspot and promising. However, due to rapid exhaustion, CAR-T cells are less effective in solid tumors than in hematological ones. CD122+CXCR3+ memory T cells are characterized with longevity, self-renewal and great antitumoral capacity. Thus, it’s compelling to induce memory CAR-T cells to enhance their efficacy on solid tumors. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) has reportedly exhibited antitumoral effects. However, it’s unclear if APS has an impact on CD8+ memory T cell generation or persistence. Using two human cancer cell lines, here we found that APS significantly improved the persistence of GPC3-targeted CAR-T cells and enhanced their suppression of tumor growth in both Huh7 and HepG2 xenograft models of hepatocellular carcinoma. APS increased CD122+/CXCR3+ memory T cells, but decreased their PD-1+ subset within CD8+ CAR-T cells in tumor-bearing mice, while these effects of APS were also confirmed with in vitro experiments. Moreover, APS augmented the expression of chemokines CXCL9/CXCL10 by the tumor in vivo and in vitro. It also enhanced the proliferation and chemotaxis/migration of CAR-T cells in vitro. Finally, APS promoted the phosphorylation of STAT5 in CD8+ CAR-T cells, whereas inhibition of STAT5 activation reversed these in vitro effects of APS. Therefore, APS enhanced the antitumoral effects of CD8+ CAR-T cells by promoting formation/persistence of CD122+/CXCR3+/PD-1- memory T cells and their migration to the tumor. [Display omitted] •Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) promotes CD8+ CAR-T cell persistence/proliferation.•APS enhances suppression of hepatocellular cancer growth by CAR-T cells in mice.•It increases frequency of CD122+/CXCR3+/PD-1- subsets within CD8+ CAR-T cells.•It exerts these effects on CD8+ CAR-T cells by enhancing their STAT5 activation.•It also enhances CAR-T cell migration/chemotaxis through CXCR3-CXCL9/10 axis.