Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40931013›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Modulating the PPARγ pathway upregulates NECTIN4 and enhances chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in bladder cancer.

Kevin Chang, Henry M Delavan, Elizabeth Yip, Corynn Kasap, Jun Zhu, Roshan Lodha, Sheng-You Liao, Sarah C Berman, Alberto Carretero-Gonzalez, Merve Basar and 16 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

26 authors.

Kevin ChangHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Henry M Delavan *Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Elizabeth Yip *Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Corynn KasapHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Jun ZhuHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Roshan LodhaHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-1568-6629
Sheng-You LiaoDivision of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Sarah C BermanHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Alberto Carretero-GonzalezHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2891-503X
Merve BasarDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
Gamze Gokturk OzcanDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
Min Yuen TeoGenitourinary Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2511-6731
David B SolitGenitourinary Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6614-802X
Jonathan E RosenbergGenitourinary Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
Hikmat Al-AhmadieDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2938-6627
Cornelia C K DingHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9047-0222
Emily ChanHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Veronica SteriHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Sima P PortenHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Vadim S KoshkinHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2277-8668
Terence W FriedlanderHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Felix Y FengHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0963-7687
John K LeeDivision of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6570-2180
Arun P WiitaHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7465-6964
Carissa E ChuHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Jonathan ChouHelen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. jonathan.chou@ucsf.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1258-0391

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI SELWYN M VICKERS · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
Translational InformaticsP30CA082103 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI Alan Ashworth · 1999 to 2026
$209.7M
UCSF Paul Calabresi K12 Career Development Program in Clinical OncologyK12CA260225 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI BERGSLAND, EMILY K, BIVONA, TREVER G · 2021 to 2025
$2.6M
Defining the roles of PPARgamma and TGFbeta in regulating NECTIN4 and resistance to NECTIN4-targeting therapiesK08CA273514 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI Jonathan Chou · 2022 to 2026
$1.3M
Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) P0567911NCI NIH HHS K08 CA273514NCI NIH HHS K12 CA260225NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748NCI NIH HHS P30 CA082103U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) K08CA273514U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) K12CA260225U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) P30CA082103
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

With the approval of the antibody-drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin (EV), NECTIN4 has emerged as a bona fide therapeutic target in urothelial carcinoma (UC). Here, we report the development of a NECTIN4-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell, which exhibits reactivity across cells expressing a range of endogenous NECTIN4, with enhanced activity in high expressors. We demonstrate that the PPARγ pathway, critical for luminal differentiation, transcriptionally controls NECTIN4, and that the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone primes and augments NECTIN4 expression, thereby increasing sensitivity to NECTIN4-CAR T cell-mediated killing. NECTIN4-CAR T cells have potent anti-tumor activity even against EV resistant cells, which largely retain NECTIN4 expression, including in a post-EV biopsy cohort. Our results elucidate a therapeutically actionable mechanism that UC cells use to control NECTIN4 expression and suggest therapeutic approaches that leverage PPARγ agonists for rational combinations with NECTIN4-targeting agents in UC, as well as future potential treatment options for EV-refractory patients.

Indexed as

Cell Adhesion MoleculesImmunotherapy, AdoptivePPAR gammaReceptors, Chimeric AntigenUrinary Bladder NeoplasmsAnimalsAntibodies, MonoclonalCell Line, TumorFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMiceNectinsRosiglitazoneSignal TransductionT-LymphocytesAntibodies, MonoclonalCell Adhesion Moleculesenfortumab vedotinNECTIN4 protein, humanNectinsPPAR gammaReceptors, Chimeric AntigenRosiglitazone

Identifiers

PMID40931013
PMCPMC12423289

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.