Autologous T lymphocytes genetically modified to express T cell receptors or chimeric antigen receptors have shown great promise in the treatment of several cancers, including melanoma and leukemia. In addition to tumor-associated antigens and tumor-specific neoantigens, tumors expressing viral peptides can also be recognized by specific T cells and are attractive targets for cell therapy. Hepatocellular carcinoma cells often have hepatitis B virus DNA integration and can be targeted by hepatitis B virus-specific T cells. Here, we describe a method to engineer hepatitis B virus-specific T cell receptors in primary human T lymphocytes based on electroporation of hepatitis B virus T cell receptor messenger RNA. This method can be extended to a large scale therapeutic T cell production following current good manufacturing practice compliance and is applicable to the redirection of T lymphocytes with T cell receptors of other virus specificities such as Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and chimeric receptors specific for other antigens expressed on cancer cells.
Keywords: Cell therapy; Electroporation; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Messenger RNA; T cell receptor; T cells.