{
  "abstract": "Introduction: Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has great potential but is limited by off-target effects and cytokine release syndrome. To address these challenges, we developed a mesothelin-targeted switchable CAR-T cell system whose activity can be externally controlled by near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive liposomes.\n\nMethods: We constructed mesothelin-targeted switchable CAR-T cells via lentiviral transduction. A NIR-responsive liposomal formulation was prepared to encapsulate a small-molecule switch agent (rapamycin or AP21967) for controlled release upon NIR irradiation. By encapsulating a NIR-triggerable photosensitizer, the liposomes became photo-labile, and exposure to 730 nm light induced lipid peroxidation, consequently allowing drug release. The switchable CAR-T cells were co-cultured with mesothelin-expressing ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-3) under various conditions, with or without NIR irradiation. Cytotoxicity was assessed by LDH release assay, and cytokine secretion (TNF-α and IL-2) was measured by ELISA.\n\nResults: The switchable CAR-T cells exhibited minimal baseline cytotoxicity in the absence of the inducing agent. Upon NIR irradiation, the liposomes released the encapsulated switch agent, which activated the CAR-T cells in a concentration-dependent manner. NIR-triggered activation significantly enhanced the secretion of TNF-α and IL-2 and potentiated the killing effect against mesothelin-positive ovarian cancer cells in vitro.\n\nConclusion: Our findings demonstrate that the combination of switchable CAR-T technology with NIR-responsive liposomes enables spatiotemporally controlled CAR-T activation, offering a potential strategy to mitigate off-target toxicity and facilitating the clinical application of CAR-T therapy in solid tumors.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China",
    "School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China",
    "General Office, Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Guangzhao Lu",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4870-4771"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "He Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Huan Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xiqing Gao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Kuizhi Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yangyuyuan Song",
      "orcid": "0009-0009-1063-9055"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Lijia Kong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Min Zhu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Hao Zou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ying Lu",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6627-5363"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9gbwgy27jdmpq.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.2147/ijn.s630008",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13721791/",
  "id": "9gbwgy27jdmpq",
  "issns": [
    "1176-9114",
    "1178-2013"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.2147/ijn.s630008",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2730|CAR-T cell therapy research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223662543",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.dovepress.com/article/download/121397",
  "pmcid": "PMC13721791",
  "pmid": "42965079",
  "published": "2026-10-26",
  "publisher": "Dove Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9gbwgy27jdmpq.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-03T12:22:25Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13721791",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.2147/ijn.s630008"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2730|CAR-T cell therapy research",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Near-Infrared Light-Responsive Liposomes for Modulating Switchable CAR-T Cell Therapy",
  "title_text": "Near-Infrared Light-Responsive Liposomes for Modulating Switchable CAR-T Cell Therapy",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-03T12:22:25Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9gbwgy27jdmpq",
  "venue": "International Journal of Nanomedicine",
  "versions": []
}