Mouse and human T cell Cas9-RNP/nucleofection-mediated gene-editing

CRISPR/Cas9 technology has revolutionized genome editing, providing a precise and expeditious means of genetic modification. This breakthrough has enhanced our understanding of gene function, including T cell immunology. Efficient gene editing in primary T cells not only offers a robust investigative tool for dissecting gene function but also holds promise for advancing T cell-based immunotherapies, including next-generation chimeric antigen receptor T cells. In this article, we introduce a highly efficient gene editing protocol for unstimulated human CD8 T cells and unstimulated and stimulated murine CD8 T cells, utilizing transient nucleofection of ribonucleoprotein complexes composed of synthesized modified single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) and purified Cas9 protein. This protocol, initially devised for primary CD8 T cells, can be readily adapted to other primary cell cultures through optimization of nucleofection conditions as well. In essence, our method provides a practical and powerful approach for achieving precise and swift gene knockout in primary CD8 T cells.