Enhancing siRNA effects in T cells for adoptive immunotherapy.
Genetically manipulated T cells can be endowed with novel functions to obtain desired in vivo effects after adoptive transfer. This genetic approach is being used to introduce genes such as chimeric immunoreceptors and tumor-specific T cells are being evaluated in early phase clinic trials. However, the ability to alter the genetic programming of T cells also presents opportunities to remove unwanted T-cell functions in order to augment an anti-tumor effect or endow resistance such as to HIV infection. Specifically, the use of RNA interference (RNAi) to disrupt gene expression by targeting either the mRNA or the promoter, provides investigators with many new opportunities to genetically modify T cells that should prove useful in future applications of adoptive immunotherapy.
Morris
Kevin
K
Division of Molecular Biology, Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 90010-3000, USA.
Castanotto
Daniela
D
Al-Kadhimi
Zaid
Z
Jensen
Michael
M
Rossi
John
J
Cooper
Laurence J N
LJ
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods*; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
D034741:RNA, Small Interfering