CAR-T cells for treating systemic lupus erythematosus: A promising emerging therapy.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T), currently employed routinely for treating B-cell malignancies, has emerged as a groundbreaking approach in addressing severe autoimmune diseases, especially for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The immunological rationale for targeting B lymphocytes in autoimmune diseases is well-established, demonstrating success in numerous autoantibody-mediated autoimmune conditions through targeted therapies over several years. However, this approach has often proven ineffective in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus. Recent data on CAR-T usage in lupus, revealed promising results including rapid and prolonged remission without treatment, highlighting the potential of CAR-T therapy in severe lupus cases. This article provides a comprehensive overview of CAR-T cells, tracing their evolution from hematological malignancies to their recent applications in autoimmune disorder, especially in lupus. Clinical trials within a regulated framework are now imperative to assess the procedural aspects in order to validate the considerable promise of CAR-T cell therapy in the field of autoimmune diseases. This includes evaluating safety and long-term efficacy and security of the procedure, the benefit-risk ratio in the field of autoimmunity, the availability and cost-related issues associated with this emerging cellular therapy procedure.

Case Report: Acquired Disseminated BCG in the Context of a Delayed Immune Reconstitution After Hematological Malignancy.

Context: Disseminated infections due to Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) are unusual and occur mostly in patients with inborn error of immunity (IEI) or acquired immunodeficiency. However, cases of secondary BCGosis due to intravesical BCG instillation have been described. Herein, we present a case of severe BCGosis occurring in an unusual situation. Case Description: We report one case of severe disseminated BCG disease occurring after hematological malignancy in a 48-year-old man without BCG instillation and previously vaccinated in infancy with no complication. Laboratory investigations demonstrated that he was not affected by any known or candidate gene of IEI or intrinsic cellular defect involving IFNγ pathway. Whole genome sequencing of the BCG strain showed that it was most closely related to the M. bovis BCG Tice strain, suggesting an unexpected relationship between the secondary immunodeficiency of the patient and the acquired BCG infection. Conclusion: This case highlights the fact that, in addition to the IEI, physicians, as well as microbiologists and pharmacists should be aware of possible acquired disseminated BCG disease in secondary immunocompromised patients treated in centers that administrate BCG for bladder cancers.