Advances and prospects of CAR-T cell therapy in autoimmune disease treatment

Abstract

Autoimmune diseases, owing to their chronic onset and immune imbalance, seriously affect the quality of life of patients. Existing treatment methods have limited efficacy and significant side effects. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based cell therapy strategies, particularly CAR-T cell therapy, are emerging as a promising approach for treating autoimmune diseases. Therefore, this study systematically evaluated the application progress, safety, and target selection of CAR-T therapy in autoimmune diseases and clarified its clinical potential. Through a systematic review and analysis of clinical trial data on CAR-T cell therapy for autoimmune diseases worldwide, combined with target types, research stages, and trial status, a systematic analysis was conducted to explore the efficacy and safety of different targets and summarize the results of existing research. Early-stage studies account for the vast majority of relevant trials registered globally. CD19-targeting CAR-T cells have exhibited significant therapeutic effects in various autoimmune diseases, especially in difficult-to-treat cases. The research on new targets such as B cell maturation antigen and CD20 has also made positive progress. CAR-T cell therapy provides a potential new treatment option for autoimmune diseases, and the trend of diversified targets provides a new path for precision treatment, warranting further in-depth research and clinical translation.