biostudies-literatureUnknown29(3)Dillard PNorges ForskningsrådHelse Sør-Øst RHFT cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cell therapy is a promising cancer treatment approach. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is overexpressed in the majority of tumors and a potential target for adoptive cell therapy. We isolated a novel hTERT-specific TCR sequence, named Radium-4, from a clinically responding pancreatic cancer patient vaccinated with a long hTERT peptide. Radium-4 TCR-redirected primary CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells demonstrated in vitro efficacy, producing inflammatory cytokines and killing hTERT⁺ melanoma cells in both 2D and 3D settings, as well as malignant, patient-derived ascites cells. Importantly, T cells expressing Radium-4 TCR displayed no toxicity against bone marrow stem cells or mature hematopoietic cells. Notably, Radium-Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy1199-1213https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7934585biostudies-literatureTargeting Telomerase with an HLA Class II-Restricted TCR for Cancer Immunotherapy.PMC7934585Mælandsmo GMKvalheim GWalchli SGaudernack GPollmann SWinge-Main AFlorenes VAMyhre MRInderberg EMMaggadottir SMKoksal HMenard MDillard PfalseTargeting Telomerase with an HLA Class II-Restricted TCR for Cancer Immunotherapy.T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cell therapy is a promising cancer treatment approach. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is overexpressed in the majority of tumors and a potential target for adoptive cell therapy. We isolated a novel hTERT-specific TCR sequence, named Radium-4, from a clinically responding pancreatic cancer patient vaccinated with a long hTERT peptide. Radium-4 TCR-redirected primary CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells demonstrated in vitro efficacy, producing inflammatory cytokines and killing hTERT⁺ melanoma cells in both 2D and 3D settings, as well as malignant, patient-derived ascites cells. Importantly, T cells expressing Radium-4 TCR displayed no toxicity against bone marrow stem cells or mature hematopoietic cells. Notably, Radium-2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2026-04-08T14:45:31.653Z2025-02-19T03:26:54.809ZS-EPMC79345853321230110.1016/j.ymthe.2020.11.019