Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T treatment has been used for many years to treat hematological malignancies, with impressive therapeutic activity; however, patients with solid tumors did not benefit in the same way. In this study, we sought to augment the signaling of CAR-T by switching the inhibitory PD-1 signal to the activation signal. In the PD1 overexpression model system, the conjugation of PD1 with the T cell activation molecule in CAR-T (PA-CART) demonstrates the augmentation of the downstream pathway of T cell activation. Furthermore, PA_CART improves cytotoxicity against tumor cells, increases effector functionality, and boosts cytokine release in an inhibitory PD-1 tumor microenvironment.