Application and research progress of CAR-T cell therapy in autoimmune diseases

The conventional clinical therapies for autoimmune diseases (ADs) lack specificity, necessitating long-term medication that can lead to serious side effects. In contrast, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for ADs, characterized by fewer side effects and longer-lasting therapeutic effects, represents a new direction for the specific treatment of ADs. T cells modified with CAR genes possess the ability to not only secrete perforin, granzymes, and other molecules that target autoreactive immune cells but also to lead effector and regulatory T cells into autoimmune environments, thereby exerting transport, proliferation, and immune regulatory functions. Chimeric autoantibody receptor T cells can recognize and kill autoreactive cells expressing target autoantibodies through their specific antigens. In this article, we comprehensively expound on the application of CAR-T cell therapy in different ADs and summarize the current research progress in this regard. This review aims to enhance the application of CAR-T therapy in AD treatment and facilitate further studies aimed at addressing the existing gaps in CAR-T therapy for ADs.