Assessing Heterogeneity of CD8+ CAR-T Cell Subpopulations Using Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

March 1, 2023

Many cancer therapies rely on immunotherapeutic approaches. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) immunotherapies have transformed treatment options for many cancer patients. The cellular composition of CAR-T cells, including the proportion of CD8+ T cell subpopulations, is a critical success factor for efficient CAR-T immunotherapy. CD8+ T cells are key in eliminating tumor cells, with various subpopulations having important roles in facilitating tumor response. Single-cell RNA-seq profiling can serve as an analytical tool to capture cell-to-cell variability in CAR-T cells and identify the right cell types to ensure cell expansion, persistence, and anti-tumor activity.

Here, utilizing the Genedata Selector^® software, we analyzed a public single-cell RNA-seq dataset that was generated from the CAR-T infusion products and blood of patients with durable persistence to immunotherapy.

Our automated single-cell RNA-seq workflow enabled rapid profiling of CD8+ T cell populations before and after infusion and the identification of transcriptional profiles associated with a positive therapeutic outcome of CAR-T immunotherapy.