PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)Chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) targeting CD19 have shown remarkable antitumor activity in relapsed/refractory hematological malignancies, but limited efficacy in solid tumors. Ionizing radiation can debulk tumors, thereby increasing CAR T cell penetration, and sensitize tumor cells to CAR-mediated killing. Thus, implementing CAR therapy within current RT regimens may further increase local and systemic tumor responses in patients. However, lymphocytes are highly radiosensitive, which can inhibit the use of radiation in conjunction with CAR T cell therapy. To circumvent this problem, we designed CAR T cells that when activated are more highly radioresistant.MATERIALS/METHODSEphA2-specitifc human CAR T cells were developed using a EphA2 scFv and CD28.ζ signaling domains (EphA2 CAR). These CAR T cells were further modified to include CAR signaling response elements upstream of the superoxide dismutase 2 gene (EphA2-SOD2 CAR), which neutralizes superoxide radicals. When EphA2-SOD2 CAR T cells are activated, they overexpress SOD2. CAR T cells were generated from healthy donors, cocultured with EphA2+ tumor cells for 3 days, treated with increasing doses of ionizing radiation (0-8 Gy), and compared in functional assay to measure the radiation sensitivity, specificity, and effector function of EphA2- and EphA2-SOD2 CAR T cells in vitro.RESULTSAt each dose of ionizing radiation, the surviving fraction of T lymphocytes was higher in the EphA2-SOD2 CAR T cells relative to the EphA2 CAR T cells. We performed cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) assays in which EphA2+ H&N tumor cells that constitutively express firefly luciferase were cocultured for 24 hours with varying ratios of each CAR T cell. In the presence of survival cytokines, EphA2 CAR T cells and EphA2-SOD2 CAR T displayed similar killing capacity at different effector CAR T to tumor (E:T) ratios. However, in the absence of added survival cytokines, EphA2-SOD2 CAR T cells produced higher levels of tumor cell killing at each E:T ratio. EPhA2-SOD2 CAR T were unable to kill EphA2 knockout H&N tumor cells, demonstrating that EphA2-SOD2 CAR T cells specifically target EphA2+ tumor.CONCLUSIONEphA2-SOD2 CAR T are more radioresistant and exhibit higher killing capacity relative to standard CAR T cells. Radioresistant CAR T cells have promise and may further enhance the clinical utility of CAR T cells.