Review Article: The Extracellular Matrix as a Barrier for CAR-T Cell Therapy in Solid Tumors.

Authors

Or-Yam Revach

Published in

Critical reviews in oncogenesis. Volume 31. Issue 1. Pages 35-49.

Abstract

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies, based on introducing a genetically modified T cell receptor to a patient's T cells, have transformed the treatment of hematological tumors. However, their efficacy in solid tumors is limited to date. Among the multiple barriers that shape CAR-T cell efficacy, including antigen heterogeneity, hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME), and immunosuppressive cell populations, the altered extracellular matrix (ECM) has emerged as a dominant but understudied obstacle. In this review, we summarize the key ECM alterations characteristic of solid tumors and highlight the physical and molecular features that limit CAR-T cell function and promote exhaustion. We further discuss strategies to overcome these constraints and therapy resistance, as well as approaches to assess CAR-T therapy efficacy in clinically relevant models.

PMID:
42870620
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 14 Oct 2026.

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