CAR T cell therapy has shown remarkable results in patients with blood cancers but has not been as effective against solid-tumor cancers. A study from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to knock out the gene for CD5, a protein found on T cells, could greatly enhance CAR T cell therapy’s effectiveness. CD5 works as an immune checkpoint, limiting T cell effectiveness, and removing it significantly improves CAR T cell anticancer activity. The researchers found that CD5 knockout enhanced the anti-tumor effect of CAR T cells in both liquid and solid cancers, providing a promising strategy for boosting CAR T cell therapy. A clinical trial of CD5-knockout CAR T cells for CD5-bearing T-cell lymphomas is set to begin soon.
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CD5 knockout using CRISPR boosts CAR T cell therapy efficacy
