In vivo CRISPR-based screen identifies ZC3H12C as a mediator of CAR-T cell dysfunction in solid tumors

To uncover mediators of this dysfunction, we developed an in vivo screening platform using an ovarian xenograft tumor model in which CD28-based CAR-T cells undergo exhaustion leading to tumor escape. Transcriptomic profiling of tumor-infiltrating CAR-T cells at different stages revealed dynamic upregulation of exhaustion-associated genes.

We used this data to design a focused CRISPR/Cas9 library and performed an in vivo screen. We identified 14 significantly enriched candidate genes, among which ZC3H12C emerged as the top hit. Single-cell RNA and ATAC-seq confirmed ZC3H12C expression in CAR-T cells undergoing early exhaustion in vivo.