CRISPR screens for functional interrogation of immunity

Area of Science:

• Immunology and Genomics
• Biomedical Science

Background:

• CRISPR-based technologies are transformative tools in biomedical science.
• They provide a powerful platform for unbiased screening and functional genomics, particularly in immunology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the progress and emerging adaptations of CRISPR technologies in immunology.
• To highlight their role in advancing fundamental immunological knowledge.
• To identify novel disease targets for immunotherapy in infection, inflammation, and cancer.

Main Methods:

• Pooled and arrayed CRISPR screens have identified intracellular and intercellular regulators in immune cells.
• Single-cell CRISPR screening platforms enable transcriptome analysis and gene regulatory network inference.
• CRISPR screens facilitate mapping of genetic interactions for complex immune phenotypes.

Main Results:

• Discovery of previously unknown intracellular drivers of immune regulation in innate and adaptive immune cells.
• Identification of intercellular regulators mediating cell-cell interactions.
• Enhanced mechanistic insights through transcriptome-wide analysis and gene regulatory network inference.

Conclusions:

• CRISPR technologies are crucial for deepening our understanding of immunology.
• These platforms are instrumental in discovering new therapeutic targets for immunotherapy.
• CRISPR applications hold significant promise for treating infection, inflammation, and cancer.