CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing in the era of CAR T cell immunotherapy
The advent of engineered T cells as a form of immunotherapy marks the beginning of a new era in medicine, providing a transformative way to combat complex diseases such as cancer. Following FDA approval of CAR T cells directed against the CD19 protein for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2019-05-01
|
| Series: | Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2019.1571893 |
| Summary: | The advent of engineered T cells as a form of immunotherapy marks the beginning of a new era in medicine, providing a transformative way to combat complex diseases such as cancer. Following FDA approval of CAR T cells directed against the CD19 protein for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B cell lymphoma, CAR T cells are poised to enter mainstream oncology. Despite this success, a number of patients are unable to receive this therapy due to inadequate T cell numbers or rapid disease progression. Furthermore, lack of response to CAR T cell treatment is due in some cases to intrinsic autologous T cell defects and/or the inability of these cells to function optimally in a strongly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. We describe recent efforts to overcome these limitations using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, with the goal of enhancing potency and increasing the availability of CAR-based therapies. We further discuss issues related to the efficiency/scalability of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in CAR T cells and safety considerations. By combining the tools of synthetic biology such as CARs and CRISPR/Cas9, we have an unprecedented opportunity to optimally program T cells and improve adoptive immunotherapy for most, if not all future patients. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2164-5515 2164-554X |