Sustained and specific multiplexed immune checkpoint modulation in CAR T cells induced by targeted epigenome editing
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ABSTRACT:
PROVIDER: PRJNA1142611 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
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Project description:CRISPR technologies have begun to revolutionize T cell therapies; however, conventional CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing tools are limited in their safety, efficacy, and scope. To address these challenges, we developed MEGA (Multiplexed Effector Guide Arrays), a platform for programmable and scalable regulation of the T cell transcriptome using the RNA-guided, RNA-targeting activity of CRISPR/Cas13d. MEGA enables quantitative, reversible, and massively-multiplexed gene knockdown in primary human T cells without targeting or cutting genomic DNA. Applying MEGA to a model of CAR T cell exhaustion, we robustly suppressed inhibitory receptor upregulation and uncovered paired regulators of T cell function through combinatorial CRISPR screening. We additionally implemented druggable regulation of MEGA to control CAR activation in a receptor-independent manner. Lastly, MEGA enabled multiplexed disruption of immunoregulatory metabolic pathways to enhance CAR T cell fitness and anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo. MEGA offers a versatile synthetic toolkit for applications in cancer immunotherapy and beyond.
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Project description:The study aimed to elucidate the transcriptional changes introduced by genetic engineering of CAR T cells to stably express the homeostatic chemokine receptor CCR7. In vitro killing assays hinted to a higher cytolytic capacity that could be tied to an altered cytoskeletal rearrangement. Human CAR and CAR.CCR7 T cells were generated by retroviral transduction and enriched by FACS at the end of the expansion phase (day 10), either without or with a previous over-night co-culture with target Jeko1 tumor cells that express the CAR target antigen CXCR5. Enriched cells were immediately processed for bulk mRNA Seq
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Project description:Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (Dpp4) plays a pivotal role in fibrotic and nonfunctional scar development following skin injury and is present in a subset of fibroblasts implicated in scar formation. Simultaneously, heterogeneous vascular endothelial cells (ECs) retain their capacity to drive tissue regeneration and repair within scarred areas. Effective strategies for inhibiting scar-associated fibroblasts and regulating EC subtypes in the scar microenvironment remain unclear. Here, we engineered CAR-Trem2-Ms capable of targeting DPP4+ fibroblasts and modulating EC phenotypes within the scar microenvironment to effectively prevent and treat scarring. Furthermore, compared to those in normal control samples, DPP4 expression levels were higher in both clinical scar databases and samples from scar patients. We transferred a CAR gene specifically targeting Dpp4+ fibroblasts into macrophages, which were then induced into CAR-Trem2-Ms with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (an active form of VD, VD3). Hydrogel micropore microneedles (mMNs) were employed to deliver CAR-Trem2-Ms to effectively alleviate scar formation. Single-cell transcriptome sequencing and analysis revealed that CAR-Trem2-Ms could modify EC phenotypes and regulate fibrosis by suppressing the profibrotic gene Lrg1. CAR-Trem2-Ms effectively inhibited fibrosis in fibroblasts induced by high EC LRG1 expression in vitro, further revealing the underlying mechanism by which CAR-Trem2-Ms exert their antifibrotic effects. Our findings offer a promising approach for treating post-traumatic scarring and provide novel insights into the pathological mechanisms underlying fibrosis.
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