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Table 2 Comparison between CAR T-cells and CAR-NK cells

From: Recent findings on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered immune cell therapy in solid tumors and hematological malignancies

Parameter

CAR T-cells

CAR-NK cells

Sources

Mainly autologous T-cells

Variety of sources, including PB, UCB, HPCs, hESC, iPSCs, and cell lines

Safety

May causes GVHD and cytokine storm

Safer, reduce the risk of cytokine storm and GVHD

Cytotoxic mechanism

CAR-restricted cytotoxicity

Multiple mechanisms for cytotoxic activity, CAR killing capacity as well intrinsic killing capacity via natural cytotoxicity receptors

HLA restriction

No HLA restriction

No HLA restriction

Transduction

Higher transduction efficacy

Low transduction efficacy

Persistence

Better persistence

Low persistence, need to exogenous cytokines

Stability

Less susceptible to freezing and thawing

More susceptible to freezing and thawing

Life span

Longer

Shorter

Cost of production

Expensive

Cheaper

Construction to injection period

Longer period of time (4–6 weeks)

Short period time, off-the-shelf

  1. PB, peripheral blood; UCB, umbilical Cord blood; HPCs, hematopoietic progenitor cells; hESC, human embryonic stem cell; iPSCs, induced pluripotent stem cells; GVHD, Graft-versus-host disease; HLA, human leukocyte antigen