Semin Immunol. 2025 Nov 6;80:102004. doi: 10.1016/j.smim.2025.102004. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Hepatocellular carcinoma developing in patients with HBV chronic infection are marked by expression of whole or partial HBV antigens through a highly tissue-specific process, determined by the hepatotropism of HBV. HBV antigens are therefore a possible target for adoptive T cell immunotherapy as their expression and, consequently, potential on-target off-tumour events, are confined to the liver compartment with no involvement of other organs. Here we summarise the research steps to develop T cell therapy that utilises viral antigen as a tumour antigen in HBV-related HCC and discuss the efficacy and the potential mechanisms of action of HBV-specific T cell receptor (TCR)-redirected T cells in phase I clinical trials.

PMID:41202736 | DOI:10.1016/j.smim.2025.102004