The Application Progress, Challenges, and Future Directions of Gene Editing Technology in Immunotherapy

Jiayi Zou

doi:10.54097/1x4qt075

Authors

Jiayi Zou

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/1x4qt075

Keywords:

Gene Editing; CRISPR-Cas9; Immunotherapy; Cancer Treatment; Personalized Medicine.

Abstract

In recent years, gene editing technologies, especially CRISPR-Cas9, have become key tools for enhancing the effectiveness of immunotherapy and are widely applied in the treatment of cancer, viral infections, and genetic diseases. By improving the specificity and durability of immune cells, gene editing boosts the efficacy of anti-tumor therapies, such as CAR-T cell therapy, and optimizes immune checkpoint inhibitors to enhance immune response and inhibit cancer immune evasion. Moreover, CRISPR demonstrates significant potential in antiviral immunity, particularly achieving breakthroughs in targeting HIV and other viral replication mechanisms. Despite the promising outlook of gene editing technology in clinical applications, it still faces challenges such as off-target effects, ethical concerns, and technical limitations. Researchers are actively exploring new editing tools (e.g., Cas12, Cas13) and delivery systems (e.g., lipid nanoparticles, adeno-associated viruses) to improve editing accuracy and safety. With the integration of gene editing with multiple therapies, the advancement of personalized medicine, and improvements in delivery technology, gene editing is expected to achieve wider clinical application in the future, drive the progress of precision medicine, and offer innovative treatment strategies for hard-to-treat cancers and genetic diseases.

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