Charged substrate treatment enhances T cell mediated cancer immunotherapy

Biophysical cues play a crucial role in T cell biology, yet their implications in adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) remain largely unknown. Here, we investigate the effect of electrical stimuli on CD8+ T cells using a charged substrate composed of electroactive nanocomposites with tunable surface charge intensities. Electrical stimuli enhance the persistence and tumor-suppressive efficacy of transferred T cells, with effects dependent on substrate charge. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis unveils a decrease in virtual memory T (Tvm) cells and an increase in proliferative potential T (Tpp) cells, which exhibit superior antitumor activity and metabolic adaptations relative to those treated with uncharged substrate. ATAC-seq profiling demonstrates heightened accessibility at upstream binding sites for EGR1, a transcription factor critical for Tpp cell differentiation. Mechanistically, the charged substrate disrupts ionic TCR-lipid interactions, amplifies TCR signaling, and activates EGR1, thereby impeding Tvm polarization during ex vivo culture. Our findings thus highlight the importance of extracellular electrical stimuli in shaping T cell fate, offering potential for optimizing ACT for therapeutic applications. Biophysical cues play a crucial role in T cell biology, yet their implications in adoptive T cell therapy remain elusive. Here the authors use a charged substrate to enhance T cell proliferation and anti-tumor function for adoptive transfer therapy, with the mechanism of amplifying TCR signaling, activating EGR1 signaling and impeding virtual memory T polarization.