CAR-T cells directed toward PD-L1 demonstrate potent, antigen-specific activity against cholangiocarcinoma: A proof of concept study

Molecular Therapy Oncology 2026 Open access

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Authors: Piyush Gondaliya, Yan Luo, Adil Ali Sayyed, Dylan A. Zinn, Yaqing Qie, Irene K. Yan, Julia R. Driscoll, Parthvi B. Patel, Shuhua Li, Hong Qin, Tushar C. Patel
DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2026.201209
Cited by: 1
References: 22

Abstract

. Cytotoxicity was abrogated in PD-L1 knockout cells, confirming target specificity. PD-L1 CAR-T cells significantly reduced tumor cell viability within multicellular spheroids. Gemcitabine pretreatment upregulated PD-L1 expression and enhanced CAR-T-mediated cytotoxicity. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of second-generation PD-L1 CAR-T cells, demonstrating preclinical efficacy and specificity, and validating a therapeutic strategy that targets the tumor microenvironment for these challenging cancers.

Fields of Study & Subjects

CAR-T cell therapy research Immune Cell Function and Interaction Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers

Publication details

Journal / source
Molecular Therapy Oncology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
34
Issue
2
Pages
201209–201209
Publication date
17 April 2026
Language
EN