Analysis of Research Hotspots and Frontier Evolution in CAR Optimization Based on CiteSpace

Objective This study used CiteSpace to conduct bibliometric and visual analysis of global publications on CAR optimization, systematically sorting out research hotspots and evolutionary paths of frontiers, to provide references for innovating CAR optimization strategies.Methods Relevant publications on CAR optimization over the past decade was collected from the Web of Science database, and bibliometric and knowledge mapping analyses were performed using CiteSpace.Results A total of 6,223 relevant publications published in 416 academic journals by 103 countries/regions, 5,341 institutions and 30,065 authors were included, focusing on research advances in optimizing the structure, function, safety and persistence of CAR-engineered immune cells. From January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2025, the annual number of publications showed a continuous upward trend. China, the United States and Germany were the major contributing countries; Harvard University ranked first in the number of publications, and the University of Pennsylvania ranked first in citation frequency. Frontiers in Immunology was the journal with the most relevant publications, while Carl H. June, Frederick L. Locke and He Huang were the core authors with the highest publication outputs. The core keywords were chimeric antigen receptor, therapy, expression, immunotherapy and T cells.Conclusion The field of CAR optimization has evolved from basic structural design and in vitro functional verification to clinical translation, novel immune cell development, breakthroughs in solid tumors, and synergistic optimization of efficacy and safety, showing a rapid transition from basic research to clinical application and industrialization.