Figure 2.

Tumor-specific T-cell-based immunotherapy. Unmodified CD8+ T cells are ex vivo expanded and do not need genetic modification, while both TCR-engineered CD8+ T cells and CAR-T cells need specific modifications to obtain targeting abilities. Unmodified CD8+ T cells need antigen processing and MHC presentation via antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells. TCR-engineered CD8+ T cells can directly recognize intact target molecules expressed on tumor cell surface in an MHC-dependent fashion, while CAR-T cells are MHC-independent.