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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Aug 3.
Published in final edited form as: Clin Cancer Res. 2012 May 15;18(10):2780–2790. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-11-1920

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Current CAR design allows for MHC-independent antigen recognition and incorporates costimulatory signal (s) endowing the transduced T cell with potent cytotoxic activity. In contrast to the TCR, which recognizes peptide in the context of MHC and provides signal 1, CARs interact in an MHC-independent manner. All CARs must provide signal 1 in the form of the TCR z activating subunit (first-generation), but the addition of one (second-generation) or 2 (third-generation) costimulatory signals (CD28, 4-1BB, or OX40) provides the CAR-transduced T cell with both signals 1 and 2, leading to full activation, proliferation, and cytotoxicity.