Gut microbiome impacts CAR T cell therapy responses, side effects in multiple myeloma
MD Anderson Research Highlight April 16, 2025
The gut microbiome has been linked to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy response and related toxicities, but few researchers have looked at the longitudinal effects of treatment. To investigate changes in the gut microbiome from CAR T cell therapy, researchers led by , , and , conducted whole-genome sequencing on 117 stool samples collected from 33 patients with multiple myeloma undergoing idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) CAR T cell therapy. The researchers analyzed bacterial diversity and composition before and after treatment. Bacterial diversity decreased after ide-cel infusion, and certain bacteria were enriched in the stool samples from patients who responded well to therapy. Additionally, major microbiome disruptions were associated with higher toxicity following infusion. Further analyses characterized networks between certain bacterial species and specific metabolic pathways. These findings suggest that gut microbiome composition plays a crucial role in CAR T cell therapy outcomes, highlighting the therapeutic potential of microbiome-based interventions to improve patient outcomes. Learn more in .
Our work reveals a previously unknown connection between gut microbiome damage and toxicity associated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in patients with multiple myeloma.