Artificial antigen-presenting cells: the booster for the obtaining of functional adoptive cells

Abstract Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) achieves substantial efficacy in the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumours, while enormous endeavors have been made to reduce relapse and extend the remission duration after ACT. For the genetically engineered T cells, their functionality and long-term anti-tumour potential depend on the specificity of the T cell receptor (TCR) or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). In addition, the therapeutic benefit is directly to sufficient activation and proliferation of engineered T cells. Artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs), as powerful boosters for ACT, have been applied to provide sustained stimulation of the cognate antigen and facilitate the expansion of sufficient T cells for infusion. In this review, we summarize the aAPCs used to generate effector cells for ACT and underline the mechanism by which aAPCs enhance the functionality of the effector cells. The manuscript includes investigations ranging from basic research to clinical trials, which we hope will highlight the importance of aAPCs and provide guidance for novel strategies to improve the effectiveness of ACT.