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Chen X, Zhong S, Zhan Y, Zhang X. CRISPR-Cas9 applications in T cells and adoptive T cell therapies. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2024; 29:52. [PMID: 38609863 PMCID: PMC11010303 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-024-00561-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
T cell immunity is central to contemporary cancer and autoimmune therapies, encompassing immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive T cell therapies. Their diverse characteristics can be reprogrammed by different immune challenges dependent on antigen stimulation levels, metabolic conditions, and the degree of inflammation. T cell-based therapeutic strategies are gaining widespread adoption in oncology and treating inflammatory conditions. Emerging researches reveal that clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) genome editing has enabled T cells to be more adaptable to specific microenvironments, opening the door to advanced T cell therapies in preclinical and clinical trials. CRISPR-Cas9 can edit both primary T cells and engineered T cells, including CAR-T and TCR-T, in vivo and in vitro to regulate T cell differentiation and activation states. This review first provides a comprehensive summary of the role of CRISPR-Cas9 in T cells and its applications in preclinical and clinical studies for T cell-based therapies. We also explore the application of CRISPR screen high-throughput technology in editing T cells and anticipate the current limitations of CRISPR-Cas9, including off-target effects and delivery challenges, and envisioned improvements in related technologies for disease screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute of Zhengzhou University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Shuhan Zhong
- Department of Hematology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Yonghao Zhan
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China.
| | - Xuepei Zhang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China.
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Yahsi B, Palaz F, Dincer P. Applications of CRISPR Epigenome Editors in Tumor Immunology and Autoimmunity. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:413-427. [PMID: 38298016 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Over the past decade, CRISPR-Cas systems have become indispensable tools for genetic engineering and have been used in clinical trials for various diseases. Beyond genome editing, CRISPR-Cas systems can also be used for performing programmable epigenetic modifications. Recent efforts in enhancing CRISPR-based epigenome modifiers have yielded potent tools enabling targeted DNA methylation/demethylation capable of sustaining epigenetic memory through numerous cell divisions. Moreover, it has been understood that during chronic inflammatory states, including cancer, T cells encounter a state called T cell exhaustion that involves elevated inhibitory receptors (e.g., LAG-3, TIM3, PD-1, CD39) and reduced effector T cell-related protein levels (IFN-γ, granzyme B, and perforin). Importantly, epigenetic dysregulation has been identified as one of the key drivers of T cell exhaustion, and it remains one of the biggest obstacles in the field of immunotherapy and decreases the efficiency of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy. Similarly, autoimmune diseases exhibit epigenetically dysfunctional regulatory T (Treg) cells. For instance, FOXP3 intronic regions, known as conserved noncoding sequences, display hypomethylation in healthy states but hypermethylation in pathological contexts. Therefore, the reversal of epigenetic dysregulation in cancer and autoimmune diseases using CRISPR-based epigenome modifiers has important therapeutic implications. In this review, we outline the progressive refinement of CRISPR-based epigenome modifiers and explore their potential therapeutic applications in tumor immunology and autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berkay Yahsi
- Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara 06100, Turkey
| | - Fahreddin Palaz
- Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey
| | - Pervin Dincer
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey
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Li J, Karakas D, Xue F, Chen Y, Zhu G, Yucel YH, MacParland SA, Zhang H, Semple JW, Freedman J, Shi Q, Ni H. Desialylated Platelet Clearance in the Liver is a Novel Mechanism of Systemic Immunosuppression. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0236. [PMID: 37808178 PMCID: PMC10551749 DOI: 10.34133/research.0236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Platelets are small, versatile blood cells that are critical for hemostasis/thrombosis. Local platelet accumulation is a known contributor to proinflammation in various disease states. However, the anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive potential of platelets has been poorly explored. Here, we uncovered, unexpectedly, desialylated platelets (dPLTs) down-regulated immune responses against both platelet-associated and -independent antigen challenges. Utilizing multispectral photoacoustic tomography, we tracked dPLT trafficking to gut vasculature and an exclusive Kupffer cell-mediated dPLT clearance in the liver, a process that we identified to be synergistically dependent on platelet glycoprotein Ibα and hepatic Ashwell-Morell receptor. Mechanistically, Kupffer cell clearance of dPLT potentiated a systemic immunosuppressive state with increased anti-inflammatory cytokines and circulating CD4+ regulatory T cells, abolishable by Kupffer cell depletion. Last, in a clinically relevant model of hemophilia A, presensitization with dPLT attenuated anti-factor VIII antibody production after factor VIII ( infusion. As platelet desialylation commonly occurs in daily-aged and activated platelets, these findings open new avenues toward understanding immune homeostasis and potentiate the therapeutic potential of dPLT and engineered dPLT transfusions in controlling autoimmune and alloimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- June Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto Platelet Immunobiology Group, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Canadian Blood Services Centre for Innovation, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Danielle Karakas
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto Platelet Immunobiology Group, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Feng Xue
- Departments of Pediatrics,
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Yingyu Chen
- Departments of Pediatrics,
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Guangheng Zhu
- Toronto Platelet Immunobiology Group, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yeni H. Yucel
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences Medicine,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science,
Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sonya A. MacParland
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Multi-Organ Transplant Program,
Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Immunology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Haibo Zhang
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John W. Semple
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine,
Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine,
Office of Medical Services, Region Skåne, Lund, Sweden
| | - John Freedman
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto Platelet Immunobiology Group, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Qizhen Shi
- Departments of Pediatrics,
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Children’s Research Institute, Children’s Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, USA
- Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer Fund Research Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Heyu Ni
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto Platelet Immunobiology Group, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Canadian Blood Services Centre for Innovation, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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