ReviewFrontiers in immunology2026
The trinity of T cell engagement: navigating the molecular and clinical landscape of CAR-T, TILs, and TCEs in the war against cancer.
Review in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- T-Cell Engagers TargetingInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The advent of cancer immunotherapy has fundamentally restructured the oncological paradigm, moving away from agents that directly target tumor cell kinetics toward strategies that empower the host immune system to recognize and eliminate malignancy. Central to this revolution is the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), now harnessed as a potent "living drug" through engineered and naturally selected modalities. This review provides a critical, in-depth examination of the three dominant pillars of T cell-driven therapies: Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, and T Cell Engagers (TCEs). We dismantle the molecular mechanisms defining each approach, contrasting the synthetic, major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-independent signaling of CAR-T cells with the diverse, MHC-restricted TCR repertoire of TILs, and the transient, pharmacologic bridging provided by bispecific TCEs. While CAR-T therapy has achieved historic success in hematologic malignancies, its translation to solid tumors is severely compromised by the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by metabolic insulation, physical exclusion, and profound immunosuppression. Conversely, TIL therapy offers a polyclonal strategy tailored for solid tumors but is hindered by complex biomanufacturing logistics and variable tumor immunogenicity. TCEs promise off-the-shelf accessibility but face challenges regarding persistence and on-target/off-tumor toxicity. Beyond clinical outcomes, we explore the pathophysiological underpinnings of resistance, including antigen escape mechanisms and T cell exhaustion programs. Finally, we posit that the future of curative regimens lies in rational combinatorial strategies-integrating advanced genetic engineering, metabolic reprogramming, and TME-modulating agents like oncolytic viruses-to overcome the multifaceted defenses of solid tumors.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.