Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41845089›Full record

ArticleNature biomedical engineering2026

Engineering an in vivo charging station for CAR-redirected invariant natural killer T cells to enhance cancer therapy.

Yan-Ruide Li, Haochen Nan, Zeyang Liu, Ying Fang, Yichen Zhu, Zibai Lyu, Zhengyao Shao, Enbo Zhu, Bo Zhang, Youcheng Yang and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature biomedical engineering, 2026. 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
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Targeted delivery platforms forFrontiers in pharmacology · 2026
    Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Yan-Ruide Li *Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9858-300X
Haochen Nan *Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Zeyang Liu *Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Ying FangDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Yichen ZhuDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Zibai LyuDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Zhengyao ShaoDepartment of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2965-8335
Enbo ZhuDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8600-8553
Bo ZhangDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5902-0290
Youcheng YangDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Xinyuan ShenDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-2788-3993
Yuning ChenDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-8010-670X
Tzung HsiaiDivision of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1734-0792
Lili YangDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. liliyang@ucla.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6568-0404
Song LiDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. songli@ucla.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4760-8828

Funding

Regulation of cell reprogramming by matrix stiffnessR01GM143485 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · PI LI, SONG · 2021 to 2024
$1.3M
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) DISC2-11157California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) DISC2-14169California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) TRAN1-12250U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01GM143485
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a unique subset of T lymphocytes with allogeneic potential and strong solid tumour-homing capacity, making them attractive for cancer immunotherapy. Unlike conventional T cells, iNKT cells recognize lipid antigens presented by the non-polymorphic CD1d molecule. Chimaeric antigen receptor (CAR)-redirected iNKT (CAR-iNKT) cells have shown promise; however, their clinical efficacy is limited by insufficient activation and poor long-term persistence within the tumour microenvironment. Here we describe the iNKT cell-targeted microparticle recruitment and activation system (iMRAS), a biomimetic platform engineered to locally recruit, activate and expand CAR-iNKT cells in vivo. Acting as an in vivo 'charging station', iMRAS provides chemotactic and activating cues that enhance CAR-iNKT cell functionality, improving persistence and tumour control in preclinical lymphoma and melanoma models. Through its biomimetic design and localized immunostimulatory effects, iMRAS helps overcome the limitations of current therapies for solid tumours, establishing a robust platform for advancing CAR-iNKT cell-based cancer immunotherapy.

Identifiers

PMID41845089

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.