Decoding T cell state-specific regulomes in cancer

Tumor-infiltrating CD8 T cells comprise a spectrum of differentiation states associated with distinct functional, transcriptional, and epigenetic features; understanding the gene networks regulating each state holds the potential to redirect CD8 T cell functionality towards therapeutically relevant states. In a recent Nature paper, Zhou et al. performed a single-cell CRISPR knock-out screen of 180 transcription factors in tumor-infiltrating CD8 T cells, identifying factors that regulate cell state transitions and represent therapeutically actionable targets.