Publications
CellFeb 2024 |
187
(
5
),
1278-1295.e20
DOI:
10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.035

A versatile CRISPR-Cas13d platform for multiplexed transcriptomic regulation and metabolic engineering in primary human T cells

Tieu, Victor; Sotillo, Elena; Bjelajac, Jeremy R; Chen, Crystal; Malipatlolla, Meena; Guerrero, Justin A; Xu, Peng; Quinn, Patrick J; Fisher, Chris; Klysz, Dorota; Mackall, Crystal L; Qi, Lei S
Product Used
NGS
Abstract
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 multiplexed effector guide arrays (MEGA), 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.
Product Used
NGS

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