CAR T-cells co-incubated with MOLM13-TP53−/− AML cells in the presence of simvastatin showed reduced exhaustion markers (PD-1, LAG3, TIM3) compared to the DMSO controls (Figs. 5D and EV5A), and fluorescence live-cell imaging revealed normalization of CAR T-cell:AML cell interaction times upon addition of simvastatin (Figs. 5E and EV5B). This evidence concerns the gene TP53 and acute myeloid leukemia.