Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) immunotherapies are dependent upon designed transmembrane proteins to bind target antigens and stimulate an immune response. The success or failure of these CARs is only partially predictable, yet recent work has highlighted the importance of antigen binding scFvs driving distinct oligomerization states with varied CAR-T efficacy. Here, we sought to determine the extracellular structure of the anti-CD19 CAR 47G4-CD828Z. Unexpectedly, the resolved crystal structure revealed an IgVL homodimer bound along an inverted VL|VL interface. We found that the VL-VH linker, designed to be cleavage resistant, was cleaved, and the VH and CAR hinge domains were absent from the crystal structure lattice. Molecular Dynamics simulations revealed that the inverted VL|VL interface was more stable than the canonical VL|VL configuration. Our work substantiates the need to interrogate the scFv structure and CAR oligomerization state for optimal CAR-T design.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.