autoimmune-disease
Autoimmune disease refers to conditions where an organism's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues, disrupting normal biological functions. In plant science, analogous processes occur when plant immune systems over-activate or misfire, targeting the plant's own cells rather than pathogens—a phenomenon linked to autoimmune-like cell death and stunted growth. Understanding these dysregulated immune responses in plants is critical for developing crops with balanced disease resistance that does not compromise yield or vigor.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-23
Researchers review how CRISPR gene editing and gene therapy could cure Type 1 Diabetes by regrowing insulin-producing cells and retraining the immune system to stop attacking them, summarizing five ongoing clinical trials and the key hurdles still to overcome.
Five active clinical trials (including NCT03162237 and NCT06938334) are testing CRISPR-edited cell replacement and immune-modulation strategies, with early-phase data confirming feasibility and acceptable safety profiles.
Two main genetic targets — PD-L1 (immune checkpoint) and FOXP3 (regulatory T-cell master gene) — are being used to suppress the autoimmune attack without broadly disabling the immune system.
Critical unresolved risks include CRISPR off-target edits, insertional mutagenesis from viral gene delivery, and infection/rejection concerns tied to pig-to-human (xenotransplantation) cell sources.