Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41596259›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Upregulation of the TCA Cycle and Oxidative Phosphorylation Enhances the Fitness of CD99 CAR-T Cells Under Dynamic Cultivation.

Jiaxuan Zhao, Youyong Wang, Yixuan Wang, Ge Dong, Han Wu, Yeting Cui, Lixing Gu, Fenfang Zhao, Guanlin Zhao, Jinyu Kang and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Harnessing Vδ1Frontiers in immunology · 2026
    Review
  2. 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

17 authors.

Jiaxuan ZhaoCollege of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
Youyong WangInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Yixuan WangCollege of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
Ge DongInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Han WuInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Yeting CuiInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Lixing GuInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Fenfang ZhaoInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Guanlin ZhaoInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Jinyu KangInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Qian ZhangInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Nan LiuInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Ning WangInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Xiao SunInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
Yao XuInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7926-3791
Tongcun ZhangCollege of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
Jiangzhou ShiInstitute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.

Funding

Hubei Provincial Key Research and Development Program 2023BCB090Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Program 2025BCB059Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation GZC20251690
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The manufacturing process contributes significantly to the proliferation, metabolic state, and functional persistence of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells. However, how different culture systems regulate CAR-T cell metabolism and thereby influence their long-term antitumor activity remains poorly understood. In this study, we compared dynamic cultivation using a wave bioreactor with static expansion systems (gas-permeable and conventional T-flasks) for the production of CD99-specific CAR-T cells. CAR-T cells expanded by the wave bioreactor exhibited faster proliferation and stronger cytotoxicity during culture. Upon repeated antigen stimulation, they retained these enhanced functional properties and showed the reduced expression of immune checkpoint molecules, preferentially preserved memory-like subsets, and displayed transcriptional features consistent with memory maintenance and exhaustion resistance. Targeted metabolomic profiling revealed enhanced Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle activity and features consistent with sustained oxidative phosphorylation, supporting mitochondrial-centered metabolic reprogramming. In a Ewing sarcoma xenograft model, wave bioreactor-cultured CAR-T cells showed a greater percentage of memory-like tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Collectively, these results indicate that wave bioreactor-based dynamic cultivation promotes mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming, which is characterized by an enhanced TCA cycle and sustained oxidative phosphorylation, thereby sustaining CAR-T cell functionality and providing a robust platform for the manufacturing of potent and durable cellular therapeutics.

Indexed as

Citric Acid CycleOxidative PhosphorylationReceptors, Chimeric AntigenT-LymphocytesAnimalsBioreactorsCell Culture TechniquesCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationHumansImmunotherapy, AdoptiveMetabolic ReprogrammingMiceUp-RegulationReceptors, Chimeric AntigenCD99chimeric antigen receptor T cellsdynamic cultivationfunctional persistenceoxidative phosphorylationTCA cycle

Identifiers

PMID41596259
PMCPMC12841239

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.