1
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Shum C, Han SY, Thiruvahindrapuram B, Wang Z, de Rijke J, Zhang B, Sundberg M, Chen C, Buttermore ED, Makhortova N, Howe J, Sahin M, Scherer SW. Combining Off-flow, a Nextflow-coded program, and whole genome sequencing reveals unintended genetic variation in CRISPR/Cas-edited iPSCs. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:638-647. [PMID: 38283851 PMCID: PMC10819409 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.12.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-Cas nucleases and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology can reveal deep insight into the genetic and molecular bases of human biology and disease. Undesired editing outcomes, both on-target (at the edited locus) and off-target (at other genomic loci) hinder the application of CRISPR-Cas nucleases. We developed Off-flow, a Nextflow-coded bioinformatic workflow that takes a specific guide sequence and Cas protein input to call four separate off-target prediction programs (CHOPCHOP, Cas-Offinder, CRISPRitz, CRISPR-Offinder) to output a comprehensive list of predicted off-target sites. We applied it to whole genome sequencing (WGS) data to investigate the occurrence of unintended effects in human iPSCs that underwent repair or insertion of disease-related variants by homology-directed repair. Off-flow identified a 3-base-pair-substitution and a mono-allelic genomic deletion at the target loci, KCNQ2, in 2 clones. Unbiased WGS analysis further identified off-target missense variants and a mono-allelic genomic deletion at the targeted locus, GNAQ, in 10 clones. On-target substitution and deletions had escaped standard PCR and Sanger sequencing analysis, while missense variants at other genomic loci were not detected by Off-flow. We used these results to filter out iPSC clones for subsequent functional experiments. Off-flow, which we make publicly available, works for human and mouse genomes currently and can be adapted for other genomes. Off-flow and WGS analysis can improve the integrity of studies using CRISPR/Cas-edited cells and animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Shum
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Sang Yeon Han
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | | | - Zhuozhi Wang
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jill de Rijke
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Benjamin Zhang
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Maria Sundberg
- Department of Neurology, FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cidi Chen
- Human Neuron Core, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Nina Makhortova
- Human Neuron Core, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer Howe
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen W. Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics and McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Lead contact
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2
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Li C, Anderson AK, Ruminski P, Rettig M, Karpova D, Kiem HP, DiPersio JF, Lieber A. A simplified G-CSF-free procedure allows for in vivo HSC gene therapy of sickle cell disease in a mouse model. Blood Adv 2024; 8:4089-4101. [PMID: 38843380 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2024012757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT We have reported the direct repair of the sickle cell mutation in vivo in a disease model using vectorized prime editors after hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)/AMD3100. The use of G-CSF for HSC mobilization is a hurdle for the clinical translation of this approach. Here, we tested a G-CSF-free mobilization regimen using WU-106, an inhibitor of integrin α4β1, plus AMD3100 for in vivo HSC prime editing in sickle cell disease (SCD) mice. Mobilization with WU-106 + AMD3100 in SCD mice was rapid and efficient. In contrast to the G-CSF/AMD3100 approach, mobilization of activated granulocytes and elevation of the key proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 in the serum were minimal. The combination of WU-106 + AMD3100 mobilization and IV injection of the prime editing vector together with in vivo selection resulted in ∼23% correction of the SCD mutation in the bone marrow and peripheral blood cells of SCD mice. The treated mice demonstrated phenotypic correction, as reflected by normalized blood parameters and spleen size. Editing frequencies were significantly increased (29%) in secondary recipients, indicating the preferential mobilization/transduction of long-term repopulating HSCs. Using this approach, we found <1% undesired insertions/deletions and no detectable off-target editing at the top-scored potential sites. Our study shows that in vivo transduction to treat SCD can now be done within 2 hours involving only simple IV injections with a good safety profile. The same-day mobilization regimen makes in vivo HSC gene therapy more attractive for resource-poor settings, where SCD does the most damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Li
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Anna K Anderson
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Peter Ruminski
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Michael Rettig
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Darja Karpova
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Hans-Peter Kiem
- Stem and Gene Therapy Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
| | - John F DiPersio
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - André Lieber
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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3
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Porreca I, Blassberg R, Harbottle J, Joubert B, Mielczarek O, Stombaugh J, Hemphill K, Sumner J, Pazeraitis D, Touza JL, Francescatto M, Firth M, Selmi T, Collantes JC, Strezoska Z, Taylor B, Jin S, Wiggins CM, van Brabant Smith A, Lambourne JJ. An aptamer-mediated base editing platform for simultaneous knockin and multiple gene knockout for allogeneic CAR-T cells generation. Mol Ther 2024; 32:2692-2710. [PMID: 38937969 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene editing technologies hold promise for enabling the next generation of adoptive cellular therapies. In conventional gene editing platforms that rely on nuclease activity, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9), allow efficient introduction of genetic modifications; however, these modifications occur via the generation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and can lead to unwanted genomic alterations and genotoxicity. Here, we apply a novel modular RNA aptamer-mediated Pin-point base editing platform to simultaneously introduce multiple gene knockouts and site-specific integration of a transgene in human primary T cells. We demonstrate high editing efficiency and purity at all target sites and significantly reduced frequency of chromosomal translocations compared with the conventional CRISPR-Cas9 system. Site-specific knockin of a chimeric antigen receptor and multiplex gene knockout are achieved within a single intervention and without the requirement for additional sequence-targeting components. The ability to perform complex genome editing efficiently and precisely highlights the potential of the Pin-point platform for application in a range of advanced cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bronwyn Joubert
- Revvity, 8100 Cambridge Research Park, Cambridge CB25 9TL, UK
| | - Olga Mielczarek
- Revvity, 8100 Cambridge Research Park, Cambridge CB25 9TL, UK
| | | | | | - Jonathan Sumner
- AstraZeneca, Discovery Sciences, R&D, 1 Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0AA, UK
| | - Deividas Pazeraitis
- AstraZeneca, Discovery Sciences, R&D, 1 Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0AA, UK
| | - Julia Liz Touza
- AstraZeneca, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D Unit, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Margherita Francescatto
- AstraZeneca, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D Unit, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Mike Firth
- AstraZeneca, Discovery Sciences, R&D, 1 Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0AA, UK
| | - Tommaso Selmi
- Revvity, 8100 Cambridge Research Park, Cambridge CB25 9TL, UK
| | - Juan Carlos Collantes
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Campus Cumbayá, Casilla Postal 17-1200-841, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | | | - Benjamin Taylor
- AstraZeneca, Discovery Sciences, R&D, 1 Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0AA, UK
| | - Shengkan Jin
- Pharmacology Department, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Ceri M Wiggins
- Revvity, 8100 Cambridge Research Park, Cambridge CB25 9TL, UK
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4
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Feng Q, Li Q, Zhou H, Wang Z, Lin C, Jiang Z, Liu T, Wang D. CRISPR technology in human diseases. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e672. [PMID: 39081515 PMCID: PMC11286548 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene editing is a growing gene engineering technique that allows accurate editing of a broad spectrum of gene-regulated diseases to achieve curative treatment and also has the potential to be used as an adjunct to the conventional treatment of diseases. Gene editing technology, mainly based on clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein systems, which is capable of generating genetic modifications in somatic cells, provides a promising new strategy for gene therapy for a wide range of human diseases. Currently, gene editing technology shows great application prospects in a variety of human diseases, not only in therapeutic potential but also in the construction of animal models of human diseases. This paper describes the application of gene editing technology in hematological diseases, solid tumors, immune disorders, ophthalmological diseases, and metabolic diseases; focuses on the therapeutic strategies of gene editing technology in sickle cell disease; provides an overview of the role of gene editing technology in the construction of animal models of human diseases; and discusses the limitations of gene editing technology in the treatment of diseases, which is intended to provide an important reference for the applications of gene editing technology in the human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Feng
- Laboratory Animal CenterCollege of Animal ScienceJilin UniversityChangchunChina
- Research and Development CentreBaicheng Medical CollegeBaichengChina
| | - Qirong Li
- Laboratory Animal CenterCollege of Animal ScienceJilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Hengzong Zhou
- Laboratory Animal CenterCollege of Animal ScienceJilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Zhan Wang
- Laboratory Animal CenterCollege of Animal ScienceJilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Chao Lin
- School of Grain Science and TechnologyJilin Business and Technology CollegeChangchunChina
| | - Ziping Jiang
- Department of Hand and Foot SurgeryThe First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Tianjia Liu
- Research and Development CentreBaicheng Medical CollegeBaichengChina
| | - Dongxu Wang
- Laboratory Animal CenterCollege of Animal ScienceJilin UniversityChangchunChina
- Department of Hand and Foot SurgeryThe First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
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5
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Guan Z, Jiang Z. A systematic method for solving data imbalance in CRISPR off-target prediction tasks. Comput Biol Med 2024; 178:108781. [PMID: 38936075 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Accurately identifying potential off-target sites in the CRISPR/Cas9 system is crucial for improving the efficiency and safety of editing. However, the imbalance of available off-target datasets has posed a major obstacle in enhancing prediction performance. Despite several prediction models have been developed to address this issue, there remains a lack of systematic research on handling data imbalance in off-target prediction. This article systematically investigates the data imbalance issue in off-target datasets and explores numerous methods to process data imbalance from a novel perspective. First, we highlight the impact of the imbalance problem on off-target prediction tasks by determining the imbalance ratios present in these datasets. Then, we provide a comprehensive review of various sampling techniques and cost-sensitive methods to mitigate class imbalance in off-target datasets. Finally, systematic experiments are conducted on several state-of-the-art prediction models to illustrate the impact of applying data imbalance solutions. The results show that class imbalance processing methods significantly improve the off-target prediction capabilities of the models across multiple testing datasets. The code and datasets used in this study are available at https://github.com/gzrgzx/CRISPR_Data_Imbalance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengrui Guan
- School of Computer Science and Technology, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Zhenran Jiang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.
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6
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Apriliana P, Kahar P, Kashiwagi N, Kondo A, Ogino C. Editing Streptomyces genome using target AID system fused with UGI-degradation tag. Eng Life Sci 2024; 24:e2400005. [PMID: 39113812 PMCID: PMC11300818 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.202400005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The utilization of Streptomyces as a microbial chassis for developing innovative drugs and medicinal compounds showcases its capability to produce bioactive natural substances. Recent focus on the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) technology highlights its potential in genome editing. However, applying CRISPR technology in certain microbial strains, particularly Streptomyces, encounters specific challenges. These challenges include achieving efficient gene expression and maintaining genetic stability, which are critical for successful genome editing. To overcome these obstacles, an innovative approach has been developed that combines several key elements: activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), nuclease-deficient cas9 variants (dCas9), and Petromyzon marinus cytidine deaminase 1 (PmCDA1). In this study, this novel strategy was employed to engineer a Streptomyces coelicolor strain. The target gene was actVA-ORF4 (SCO5079), which is involved in actinorhodin production. The engineering process involved introducing a specific construct [pGM1190-dcas9-pmCDA-UGI-AAV-actVA-ORF4 (SCO5079)] to create a CrA10 mutant strain. The resulting CrA10 mutant strain did not produce actinorhodin. This outcome highlights the potential of this combined approach in the genetic manipulation of Streptomyces. The failure of the CrA10 mutant to produce actinorhodin conclusively demonstrates the success of gene editing at the targeted site, affirming the effectiveness of this method for precise genetic modifications in Streptomyces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamella Apriliana
- Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringGraduate School of EngineeringKobe UniversityKobeJapan
| | - Prihardi Kahar
- Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringGraduate School of EngineeringKobe UniversityKobeJapan
| | - Norimasa Kashiwagi
- Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringGraduate School of EngineeringKobe UniversityKobeJapan
| | - Akihiko Kondo
- Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringGraduate School of EngineeringKobe UniversityKobeJapan
- Department of Graduate School of ScienceTechnology, and InnovationKobe UniversityKobeJapan
| | - Chiaki Ogino
- Department of Chemical Science and EngineeringGraduate School of EngineeringKobe UniversityKobeJapan
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7
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Cao Y, Li X, Pan Y, Wang H, Yang S, Hong L, Ye L. CRISPR-based genetic screens advance cancer immunology. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024:10.1007/s11427-023-2571-0. [PMID: 39048715 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2571-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR technologies have revolutionized research areas ranging from fundamental science to translational medicine. CRISPR-based genetic screens offer a powerful platform for unbiased screening in various fields, such as cancer immunology. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has been shown to strongly affect cancer treatment. However, the currently available ICBs are limited and do not work in all cancer patients. Pooled CRISPR screens enable the identification of previously unknown immune regulators that can regulate T-cell activation, cytotoxicity, persistence, infiltration into tumors, cytokine secretion, memory formation, T-cell metabolism, and CD4+ T-cell differentiation. These novel targets can be developed as new immunotherapies or used with the current ICBs as new combination therapies that may yield synergistic efficacy. Here, we review the progress made in the development of CRISPR technologies, particularly technological advances in CRISPR screens and their application in novel target identification for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanfang Cao
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Xueting Li
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Yumu Pan
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Huahe Wang
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Siyu Yang
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Lingjuan Hong
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Lupeng Ye
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
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8
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Neumayer G, Torkelson JL, Li S, McCarthy K, Zhen HH, Vangipuram M, Mader MM, Gebeyehu G, Jaouni TM, Jacków-Malinowska J, Rami A, Hansen C, Guo Z, Gaddam S, Tate KM, Pappalardo A, Li L, Chow GM, Roy KR, Nguyen TM, Tanabe K, McGrath PS, Cramer A, Bruckner A, Bilousova G, Roop D, Tang JY, Christiano A, Steinmetz LM, Wernig M, Oro AE. A scalable and cGMP-compatible autologous organotypic cell therapy for Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5834. [PMID: 38992003 PMCID: PMC11239819 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49400-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
We present Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Cell Therapy (DEBCT), a scalable platform producing autologous organotypic iPS cell-derived induced skin composite (iSC) grafts for definitive treatment. Clinical-grade manufacturing integrates CRISPR-mediated genetic correction with reprogramming into one step, accelerating derivation of COL7A1-edited iPS cells from patients. Differentiation into epidermal, dermal and melanocyte progenitors is followed by CD49f-enrichment, minimizing maturation heterogeneity. Mouse xenografting of iSCs from four patients with different mutations demonstrates disease modifying activity at 1 month. Next-generation sequencing, biodistribution and tumorigenicity assays establish a favorable safety profile at 1-9 months. Single cell transcriptomics reveals that iSCs are composed of the major skin cell lineages and include prominent holoclone stem cell-like signatures of keratinocytes, and the recently described Gibbin-dependent signature of fibroblasts. The latter correlates with enhanced graftability of iSCs. In conclusion, DEBCT overcomes manufacturing and safety roadblocks and establishes a reproducible, safe, and cGMP-compatible therapeutic approach to heal lesions of DEB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gernot Neumayer
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jessica L Torkelson
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shengdi Li
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kelly McCarthy
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hanson H Zhen
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Madhuri Vangipuram
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marius M Mader
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Gulilat Gebeyehu
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Life Sciences Solutions Group, Cell Biology, Research and Development, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Taysir M Jaouni
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Life Sciences Solutions Group, Cell Biology, Research and Development, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Joanna Jacków-Malinowska
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- St. John's Institute of Dermatology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Avina Rami
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Corey Hansen
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zongyou Guo
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sadhana Gaddam
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Keri M Tate
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Lingjie Li
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Grace M Chow
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kevin R Roy
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thuylinh Michelle Nguyen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Patrick S McGrath
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Amber Cramer
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anna Bruckner
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ganna Bilousova
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dennis Roop
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jean Y Tang
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Lars M Steinmetz
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marius Wernig
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Anthony E Oro
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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9
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Zhu W, Du W, Rameshbabu AP, Armstrong AM, Silver S, Kim Y, Wei W, Shu Y, Liu X, Lewis MA, Steel KP, Chen ZY. Targeted genome editing restores auditory function in adult mice with progressive hearing loss caused by a human microRNA mutation. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadn0689. [PMID: 38985856 PMCID: PMC7616320 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adn0689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in microRNA-96 (MIR96) cause autosomal dominant deafness-50 (DFNA50), a form of delayed-onset hearing loss. Genome editing has shown efficacy in hearing recovery through intervention in neonatal mice, yet editing in the adult inner ear is necessary for clinical applications, which has not been done. Here, we developed a genome editing therapy for the MIR96 mutation 14C>A by screening different CRISPR systems and optimizing Cas9 expression and the sgRNA scaffold for efficient and specific mutation editing. AAV delivery of the KKH variant of Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 (SaCas9-KKH) and sgRNA to the cochleae of presymptomatic (3-week-old) and symptomatic (6-week-old) adult Mir9614C>A/+ mutant mice improved hearing long term, with efficacy increased by injection at a younger age. Adult inner ear delivery resulted in transient Cas9 expression without evidence of AAV genomic integration, indicating the good safety profile of our in vivo genome editing strategy. We developed a dual-AAV system, including an AAV-sgmiR96-master carrying sgRNAs against all known human MIR96 mutations. Because mouse and human MIR96 sequences share 100% homology, our approach and sgRNA selection for efficient and specific hair cell editing for long-term hearing recovery lay the foundation for the development of treatment for patients with DFNA50 caused by MIR96 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenliang Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA02114, USA
| | - Wan Du
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA02114, USA
| | - Arun Prabhu Rameshbabu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA02114, USA
| | - Ariel Miura Armstrong
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA02114, USA
| | - Stewart Silver
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA02114, USA
| | - Yehree Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA02114, USA
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA02114, USA
| | - Yilai Shu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai200031, China
| | - Xuezhong Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Morag A. Lewis
- Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, King’s College London, LondonWC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Karen P. Steel
- Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, King’s College London, LondonWC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Zheng-Yi Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA02114, USA
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10
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Sousa AA, Hemez C, Lei L, Traore S, Kulhankova K, Newby GA, Doman JL, Oye K, Pandey S, Karp PH, McCray PB, Liu DR. Systematic optimization of prime editing for the efficient functional correction of CFTR F508del in human airway epithelial cells. Nat Biomed Eng 2024:10.1038/s41551-024-01233-3. [PMID: 38987629 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-024-01233-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Prime editing (PE) enables precise and versatile genome editing without requiring double-stranded DNA breaks. Here we describe the systematic optimization of PE systems to efficiently correct human cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) F508del, a three-nucleotide deletion that is the predominant cause of CF. By combining six efficiency optimizations for PE-engineered PE guide RNAs, the PEmax architecture, the transient expression of a dominant-negative mismatch repair protein, strategic silent edits, PE6 variants and proximal 'dead' single-guide RNAs-we increased correction efficiencies for CFTR F508del from less than 0.5% in HEK293T cells to 58% in immortalized bronchial epithelial cells (a 140-fold improvement) and to 25% in patient-derived airway epithelial cells. The optimizations also resulted in minimal off-target editing, in edit-to-indel ratios 3.5-fold greater than those achieved by nuclease-mediated homology-directed repair, and in the functional restoration of CFTR ion channels to over 50% of wild-type levels (similar to those achieved via combination treatment with elexacaftor, tezacaftor and ivacaftor) in primary airway cells. Our findings support the feasibility of a durable one-time treatment for CF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Sousa
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Colin Hemez
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lei Lei
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Soumba Traore
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Katarina Kulhankova
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Gregory A Newby
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jordan L Doman
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Keyede Oye
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Smriti Pandey
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Philip H Karp
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Paul B McCray
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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11
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Yan H, Tan X, Zou S, Sun Y, Ke A, Tang W. Assessing and engineering the IscB-ωRNA system for programmed genome editing. Nat Chem Biol 2024:10.1038/s41589-024-01669-3. [PMID: 38977787 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01669-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
OMEGA RNA (ωRNA)-guided endonuclease IscB, the evolutionary ancestor of Cas9, is an attractive system for in vivo genome editing because of its compact size and mechanistic resemblance to Cas9. However, wild-type IscB-ωRNA systems show limited activity in human cells. Here we report enhanced OgeuIscB, which, with eight amino acid substitutions, displayed a fourfold increase in in vitro DNA-binding affinity and a 30.4-fold improvement in insertion-deletion (indel) formation efficiency in human cells. Paired with structure-guided ωRNA engineering, the enhanced OgeuIscB-ωRNA systems efficiently edited the human genome across 26 target sites, attaining up to 87.3% indel and 62.2% base-editing frequencies. Both wild-type and engineered OgeuIscB-ωRNA showed moderate fidelity in editing the human genome, with off-target profiles revealing key determinants of target selection including an NARR target-adjacent motif (TAM) and the TAM-proximal 14 nucleotides in the R-loop. Collectively, our engineered OgeuIscB-ωRNA systems are programmable, potent and sufficiently specific for human genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Xiaoqing Tan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Siyuan Zou
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yihong Sun
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ailong Ke
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Weixin Tang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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12
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Yaish O, Orenstein Y. Generating, modeling and evaluating a large-scale set of CRISPR/Cas9 off-target sites with bulges. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6777-6790. [PMID: 38813823 PMCID: PMC11229338 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a highly accurate gene-editing technique, but it can also lead to unintended off-target sites (OTS). Consequently, many high-throughput assays have been developed to measure OTS in a genome-wide manner, and their data was used to train machine-learning models to predict OTS. However, these models are inaccurate when considering OTS with bulges due to limited data compared to OTS without bulges. Recently, CHANGE-seq, a new in vitro technique to detect OTS, was used to produce a dataset of unprecedented scale and quality. In addition, the same study produced in cellula GUIDE-seq experiments, but none of these GUIDE-seq experiments included bulges. Here, we generated the most comprehensive GUIDE-seq dataset with bulges, and trained and evaluated state-of-the-art machine-learning models that consider OTS with bulges. We first reprocessed the publicly available experimental raw data of the CHANGE-seq study to generate 20 new GUIDE-seq experiments, and hundreds of OTS with bulges among the original and new GUIDE-seq experiments. We then trained multiple machine-learning models, and demonstrated their state-of-the-art performance both in vitro and in cellula over all OTS and when focusing on OTS with bulges. Last, we visualized the key features learned by our models on OTS with bulges in a unique representation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ofir Yaish
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Yaron Orenstein
- Department of Computer Science, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
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13
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Zhu M, Xu R, Yuan J, Wang J, Ren X, Cong T, You Y, Ju A, Xu L, Wang H, Zheng P, Tao H, Lin C, Yu H, Du J, Lin X, Xie W, Li Y, Lan X. Tracking-seq reveals the heterogeneity of off-target effects in CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02307-y. [PMID: 38956324 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02307-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The continued development of novel genome editors calls for a universal method to analyze their off-target effects. Here we describe a versatile method, called Tracking-seq, for in situ identification of off-target effects that is broadly applicable to common genome-editing tools, including Cas9, base editors and prime editors. Through tracking replication protein A (RPA)-bound single-stranded DNA followed by strand-specific library construction, Tracking-seq requires a low cell input and is suitable for in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo genome editing, providing a sensitive and practical genome-wide approach for off-target detection in various scenarios. We show, using the same guide RNA, that Tracking-seq detects heterogeneity in off-target effects between different editor modalities and between different cell types, underscoring the necessity of direct measurement in the original system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhu
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Runda Xu
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Junsong Yuan
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- IDG-McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiacheng Wang
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ren
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- IDG-McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Cong
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- IDG-McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yaxian You
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Anji Ju
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Longchen Xu
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Huimin Wang
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Peiyuan Zheng
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- IDG-McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiying Tao
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, China
| | - Chunhua Lin
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, China
| | - Honghao Yu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
| | - Juanjuan Du
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- IDG-McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Lin
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Xie
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yinqing Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- IDG-McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Xun Lan
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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14
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Christensen CL, Kan SH, Andrade-Heckman P, Rha AK, Harb JF, Wang RY. Base editing rescues acid α-glucosidase function in infantile-onset Pompe disease patient-derived cells. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102220. [PMID: 38948331 PMCID: PMC11214518 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Infantile-onset Pompe disease (IOPD) results from pathogenic variants in the GAA gene, which encodes acid α-glucosidase. The correction of pathogenic variants through genome editing may be a valuable one-time therapy for PD and improve upon the current standard of care. We performed adenine base editing in human dermal fibroblasts harboring three transition nonsense variants, c.2227C>T (p.Q743∗; IOPD-1), c.2560C>T (p.R854∗; IOPD-2), and c.2608C>T (p.R870∗; IOPD-3). Up to 96% adenine deamination of target variants was observed, with minimal editing across >50 off-target sites. Post-base editing, expressed GAA protein was up to 0.66-fold normal (unaffected fibroblasts), an improvement over affected fibroblasts wherein GAA was undetectable. GAA enzyme activity was between 81.91 ± 13.51 and 129.98 ± 9.33 units/mg protein at 28 days post-transfection, which falls within the normal range (50-200 units/mg protein). LAMP2 protein was significantly decreased in the most robustly edited cell line, IOPD-3, indicating reduced lysosomal burden. Taken together, the findings reported herein demonstrate that base editing results in efficacious adenine deamination, restoration of GAA expression and activity, and reduction in lysosomal burden in the most robustly edited cells. Future work will assess base editing outcomes and the impact on Pompe pathology in two mouse models, Gaa c.2227C>T and Gaa c.2560C>T.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shih-Hsin Kan
- CHOC Children’s Research Institute, Orange, CA 92868, USA
| | | | | | - Jerry F. Harb
- CHOC Children’s Research Institute, Orange, CA 92868, USA
| | - Raymond Y. Wang
- Division of Metabolic Disorders, CHOC Children’s Specialists, Orange, CA 92868, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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15
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Supakar T, Herring-Nicholas A, Josephs EA. Compartmentalized CRISPR Reactions (CCR) for High-Throughput Screening of Guide RNA Potency and Specificity. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2403496. [PMID: 38845060 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202403496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) use a variable segment in their guide RNA (gRNA) called a spacer to determine the DNA sequence at which the effector protein will exhibit nuclease activity and generate target-specific genetic mutations. However, nuclease activity with different gRNAs can vary considerably in a spacer sequence-dependent manner that can be difficult to predict. While computational tools are helpful in predicting a CRISPR effector's activity and/or potential for off-target mutagenesis with different gRNAs, individual gRNAs must still be validated in vitro prior to their use. Here, the study presents compartmentalized CRISPR reactions (CCR) for screening large numbers of spacer/target/off-target combinations simultaneously in vitro for both CRISPR effector activity and specificity by confining the complete CRISPR reaction of gRNA transcription, RNP formation, and CRISPR target cleavage within individual water-in-oil microemulsions. With CCR, large numbers of the candidate gRNAs (output by computational design tools) can be immediately validated in parallel, and the study shows that CCR can be used to screen hundreds of thousands of extended gRNA (x-gRNAs) variants that can completely block cleavage at off-target sequences while maintaining high levels of on-target activity. It is expected that CCR can help to streamline the gRNA generation and validation processes for applications in biological and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tinku Supakar
- Department of Nanoscience, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27401, USA
| | - Ashley Herring-Nicholas
- Department of Nanoscience, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27401, USA
| | - Eric A Josephs
- Department of Nanoscience, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27401, USA
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16
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Yang ZX, Deng DH, Gao ZY, Zhang ZK, Fu YW, Wen W, Zhang F, Li X, Li HY, Zhang JP, Zhang XB. OliTag-seq enhances in cellulo detection of CRISPR-Cas9 off-targets. Commun Biol 2024; 7:696. [PMID: 38844522 PMCID: PMC11156888 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06360-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The potential for off-target mutations is a critical concern for the therapeutic application of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Current detection methodologies, such as GUIDE-seq, exhibit limitations in oligonucleotide integration efficiency and sensitivity, which could hinder their utility in clinical settings. To address these issues, we introduce OliTag-seq, an in-cellulo assay specifically engineered to enhance the detection of off-target events. OliTag-seq employs a stable oligonucleotide for precise break tagging and an innovative triple-priming amplification strategy, significantly improving the scope and accuracy of off-target site identification. This method surpasses traditional assays by providing comprehensive coverage across various sgRNAs and genomic targets. Our research particularly highlights the superior sensitivity of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in detecting off-target mutations, advocating for using patient-derived iPSCs for refined off-target analysis in therapeutic gene editing. Furthermore, we provide evidence that prolonged Cas9 expression and transient HDAC inhibitor treatments enhance the assay's ability to uncover off-target events. OliTag-seq merges the high sensitivity typical of in vitro assays with the practical application of cellular contexts. This approach significantly improves the safety and efficacy profiles of CRISPR-Cas9 interventions in research and clinical environments, positioning it as an essential tool for the precise assessment and refinement of genome editing applications.
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Grants
- the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant Nos. 2019YFA0110803, 2019YFA0110204, and 2021YFA1100900), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 82070115 and 81890990), the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS) (Grant Nos. 2022-I2M-2-003, 2022-I2M-2-001, 2021-I2M-1-041, 2021-I2M-1-040, and 2021-I2M-1-001), the Nonprofit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (Grant No. 2020-PT310-011), the Tianjin Synthetic Biotechnology Innovation Capacity Improvement Project (Grant No. TSBICIP-KJGG-017), the CAMS Fundamental Research Funds for Central Research Institutes (Grant No. 3332021093), the Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem Innovation Fund (Grant No. HH23KYZX0005 and HH22KYZX0022), the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology Research Grant (Grant No. Z23-05), and the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF (Grant No. GZB20230081)
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Xue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, 301600, Tianjin, China
| | - Dong-Hao Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, 301600, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhu-Ying Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, 301600, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhi-Kang Zhang
- College of Computer Science and Technology, China University of Petroleum (East China), 266000, Qingdao, China
| | - Ya-Wen Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, 301600, Tianjin, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, 301600, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, 301600, Tianjin, China
| | - Hua-Yu Li
- College of Computer Science and Technology, China University of Petroleum (East China), 266000, Qingdao, China.
| | - Jian-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China.
- Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, 301600, Tianjin, China.
| | - Xiao-Bing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 300020, Tianjin, China.
- Tianjin Institutes of Health Science, 301600, Tianjin, China.
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17
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Chen L, Liu G, Zhang T. Integrating machine learning and genome editing for crop improvement. ABIOTECH 2024; 5:262-277. [PMID: 38974863 PMCID: PMC11224061 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-023-00133-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Genome editing is a promising technique that has been broadly utilized for basic gene function studies and trait improvements. Simultaneously, the exponential growth of computational power and big data now promote the application of machine learning for biological research. In this regard, machine learning shows great potential in the refinement of genome editing systems and crop improvement. Here, we review the advances of machine learning to genome editing optimization, with emphasis placed on editing efficiency and specificity enhancement. Additionally, we demonstrate how machine learning bridges genome editing and crop breeding, by accurate key site detection and guide RNA design. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and prospects of these two techniques in crop improvement. By integrating advanced genome editing techniques with machine learning, progress in crop breeding will be further accelerated in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 China
| | - Guanqing Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 China
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18
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Dinep-Schneider O, Appiah E, Dapper A, Patterson S, Vermulst M, Gout JF. Effects of the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup on C. elegans and S. cerevisiae mortality, reproduction, and transcription fidelity. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124203. [PMID: 38830529 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Glyphosate-based weed killers such as Roundup have been implicated in detrimental effects on single- and multicellular eukaryotic model organism health and longevity. However, the mode(s) of action for these effects are currently unknown. In this study, we investigate the impact of exposure to Roundup on two model organisms: Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans and test the hypothesis that exposure to Roundup decreases transcription fidelity. Population growth assays and motility assays were performed in order to determine the phenotypic effects of Roundup exposure. We also used Rolling-Circle Amplification RNA sequencing to quantify the impact of exposure to Roundup on transcription fidelity in these two model organisms. Our results show that exposure to the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup increases mortality, reduces reproduction, and increases transcription error rates in C. elegans and S. cerevisiae. We suggest that these effects may be due in part to the involvement of inflammation and oxidative stress, conditions which may also contribute to increases in transcription error rates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eastilan Appiah
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computational Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville MS
| | - Amy Dapper
- Department of Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville MS
| | - Sarah Patterson
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computational Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville MS
| | - Marc Vermulst
- University of Southern California, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, CA 90089
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19
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Redel BK, Yoon J, Reese E, An H, Uh K, Chen PR, Prather RS, Lee K. Novel off-Targeting Events Identified after Genome Wide Analysis of CRISPR-Cas Edited Pigs. CRISPR J 2024; 7:141-149. [PMID: 38770737 PMCID: PMC11302191 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2024.0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas technology has transformed our ability to introduce targeted modifications, allowing unconventional animal models such as pigs to model human diseases and improve its value for food production. The main concern with using the technology is the possibility of introducing unwanted modifications in the genome. In this study, we illustrate a pipeline to comprehensively identify off-targeting events on a global scale in the genome of three different gene-edited pig models. Whole genome sequencing paired with an off-targeting prediction software tool filtered off-targeting events amongst natural variations present in gene-edited pigs. This pipeline confirmed two known off-targeting events in IGH knockout pigs, AR and RBFOX1, and identified other presumably off-targeted loci. Independent validation of the off-targeting events using other gene-edited DNA confirmed two novel off-targeting events in RAG2/IL2RG knockout pig models. This unique strategy offers a novel tool to detect off-targeting events in genetically heterogeneous species after genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Junchul Yoon
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Emily Reese
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Hong An
- Bioinformatics and Analytics Core, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Kyungjun Uh
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Paula R. Chen
- USDA-ARS, Plant Genetics Research Unit, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Randall S. Prather
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- National Swine Resource and Research Center, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Kiho Lee
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- National Swine Resource and Research Center, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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20
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Berthault C, Gaucher S, Gouin O, Schmitt A, Chen M, Woodley D, Titeux M, Hovnanian A, Izmiryan A. Highly Efficient Ex Vivo Correction of COL7A1 through Ribonucleoprotein-Based CRISPR/Cas9 and Homology-Directed Repair to Treat Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. J Invest Dermatol 2024; 144:1322-1333.e13. [PMID: 38043638 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a rare and severe genetic skin disease responsible for blistering of the skin and mucosa after minor trauma. RDEB is caused by a wide variety of variants in COL7A1 encoding type VII Collagen, the major component of anchoring fibrils that form key attachment structures for dermal-epidermal adherence. In this study, we achieved highly efficient COL7A1 editing in primary RDEB keratinocytes and fibroblasts from 2 patients homozygous for the c.6508C>T (p.Gln2170∗) variant through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-directed repair. Three guide RNAs targeting the c.6508C>T variant or harboring sequences were delivered together with high-fidelity Cas9 as a ribonucleoprotein complex. Among them, one achieved 73% cleavage activity in primary RDEB keratinocytes and RDEB fibroblasts. Then, we treated RDEB keratinocytes and RDEB fibroblasts with this specific ribonucleoprotein complex and the corresponding donor template delivered as single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide and achieved up to 58% of genetic correction as well as type VII Collagen rescue. Finally, grafting of corrected 3-dimensional skin onto nude mice induced re-expression and normal localization of type VII Collagen as well as anchoring fibril formation at the dermal-epidermal junction 5 and 10 weeks after grafting. With this promising nonviral approach, we achieved therapeutically relevant specific gene editing that could be applicable to all variants in exon 80 of COL7A1 in primary RDEB cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Berthault
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genetic skin diseases, Imagine Institute, Paris, France; Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Sonia Gaucher
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genetic skin diseases, Imagine Institute, Paris, France; Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Gouin
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genetic skin diseases, Imagine Institute, Paris, France; Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Alain Schmitt
- Electronic Microscopy Facility, INSERM UMR 1016, Cochin Institute, Paris, France
| | - Mei Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - David Woodley
- Department of Dermatology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Matthias Titeux
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genetic skin diseases, Imagine Institute, Paris, France; Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Alain Hovnanian
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genetic skin diseases, Imagine Institute, Paris, France; Paris Cité University, Paris, France; Department of Genomic Medicine for Rare Diseases, Necker Hospital for Sick Children, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Paris, France
| | - Araksya Izmiryan
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genetic skin diseases, Imagine Institute, Paris, France; Paris Cité University, Paris, France.
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21
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Vora DS, Bhandari SM, Sundar D. DNA shape features improve prediction of CRISPR/Cas9 activity. Methods 2024; 226:120-126. [PMID: 38641083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology has transformed basic and translational research in biology and medicine. However, the advances are hindered by off-target effects and a paucity in the knowledge of the mechanism of the Cas9 protein. Machine learning models have been proposed for the prediction of Cas9 activity at unintended sites, yet feature engineering plays a major role in the outcome of the predictors. This study evaluates the improvement in the performance of similar predictors upon inclusion of epigenetic and DNA shape feature groups in the conventionally used sequence-based Cas9 target and off-target datasets. The approach involved the utilization of neural networks trained on a diverse range of parameters, allowing us to systematically assess the performance increase for the meticulously designed datasets- (i) sequence only, (ii) sequence and epigenetic features, and (iii) sequence, epigenetic and DNA shape feature datasets. The addition of DNA shape information significantly improved predictive performance, evaluated by Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. The evaluation of individual feature importance by permutation and LIME-based methods also indicates that not only sequence features like mismatches and nucleotide composition, but also base pairing parameters like opening and stretch, that are indicative of distortion in the DNA-RNA hybrid in the presence of mismatches, influence model outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhvani Sandip Vora
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Sakshi Manoj Bhandari
- Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Durai Sundar
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India; School of Artificial Intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
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22
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Oh BL, Vinanica N, Wong DM, Campana D. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Haematologica 2024; 109:1677-1688. [PMID: 38832423 PMCID: PMC11141683 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2023.283848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a new and effective treatment for patients with hematologic malignancies. Clinical responses to CAR T cells in leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma have provided strong evidence of the antitumor activity of these cells. In patients with refractory or relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the infusion of autologous anti-CD19 CAR T cells is rapidly gaining standard-of-care status and might eventually be incorporated into frontline treatment. In T-ALL, however, leukemic cells generally lack surface molecules recognized by established CAR, such as CD19 and CD22. Such deficiency is particularly important, as outcome is dismal for patients with T-ALL that is refractory to standard chemotherapy and/or hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Recently, CAR T-cell technologies directed against T-cell malignancies have been developed and are beginning to be tested clinically. The main technical obstacles stem from the fact that malignant and normal T cells share most surface antigens. Therefore, CAR T cells directed against T-ALL targets might be susceptible to self-elimination during manufacturing and/or have suboptimal activity after infusion. Moreover, removing leukemic cells that might be present in the cell source used for CAR T-cell manufacturing might be problematic. Finally, reconstitution of T cells and natural killer cells after CAR T-cell infusion might be impaired. In this article, we discuss potential targets for CAR T-cell therapy of T-ALL with an emphasis on CD7, and review CAR configurations as well as early clinical results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernice L.Z. Oh
- Viva-University Children’s Cancer Center, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children’s Medical Institute, National University Hospital, National University Health System
- Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
| | - Natasha Vinanica
- Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
| | - Desmond M.H. Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
| | - Dario Campana
- Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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23
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Qin M, Deng C, Wen L, Luo G, Meng Y. CRISPR-Cas and CRISPR-based screening system for precise gene editing and targeted cancer therapy. J Transl Med 2024; 22:516. [PMID: 38816739 PMCID: PMC11138051 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05235-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Target cancer therapy has been developed for clinical cancer treatment based on the discovery of CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat) -Cas system. This forefront and cutting-edge scientific technique improves the cancer research into molecular level and is currently widely utilized in genetic investigation and clinical precision cancer therapy. In this review, we summarized the genetic modification by CRISPR/Cas and CRISPR screening system, discussed key components for successful CRISPR screening, including Cas enzymes, guide RNA (gRNA) libraries, target cells or organs. Furthermore, we focused on the application for CAR-T cell therapy, drug target, drug screening, or drug selection in both ex vivo and in vivo with CRISPR screening system. In addition, we elucidated the advantages and potential obstacles of CRISPR system in precision clinical medicine and described the prospects for future genetic therapy.In summary, we provide a comprehensive and practical perspective on the development of CRISPR/Cas and CRISPR screening system for the treatment of cancer defects, aiming to further improve the precision and accuracy for clinical treatment and individualized gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Qin
- Reproductive Medical Center, Affiliated Foshan Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University (Foshan Women and Children Hospital), Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
- Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China
| | - Chunhao Deng
- Chinese Medicine and Translational Medicine R&D center, Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519031, China
| | - Liewei Wen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519000, China
| | - Guoqun Luo
- Reproductive Medical Center, Affiliated Foshan Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University (Foshan Women and Children Hospital), Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.
| | - Ya Meng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519000, China.
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24
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Longo GMC, Sayols S, Kotini AG, Heinen S, Möckel MM, Beli P, Roukos V. Linking CRISPR-Cas9 double-strand break profiles to gene editing precision with BreakTag. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02238-8. [PMID: 38740992 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02238-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Cas9 can cleave DNA in both blunt and staggered configurations, resulting in distinct editing outcomes, but what dictates the type of Cas9 incisions is largely unknown. In this study, we developed BreakTag, a versatile method for profiling Cas9-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and identifying the determinants of Cas9 incisions. Overall, we assessed cleavage by SpCas9 at more than 150,000 endogenous on-target and off-target sites targeted by approximately 3,500 single guide RNAs. We found that approximately 35% of SpCas9 DSBs are staggered, and the type of incision is influenced by DNA:gRNA complementarity and the use of engineered Cas9 variants. A machine learning model shows that Cas9 incision is dependent on the protospacer sequence and that human genetic variation impacts the configuration of Cas9 cuts and the DSB repair outcome. Matched datasets of Cas9 and engineered variant incisions with repair outcomes show that Cas9-mediated staggered breaks are linked with precise, templated and predictable single-nucleotide insertions, demonstrating that a scission-based gRNA design can be used to correct clinically relevant pathogenic single-nucleotide deletions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sergi Sayols
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | - Andriana G Kotini
- Department of Biology, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Sabine Heinen
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Petra Beli
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
- Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU), Mainz, Germany
| | - Vassilis Roukos
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.
- Department of Biology, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
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25
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Supakar T, Herring-Nicholas A, Josephs EA. Compartmentalized CRISPR Reactions (CCR) for High-Throughput Screening of Guide RNA Potency and Specificity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.07.592954. [PMID: 38766102 PMCID: PMC11100742 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.07.592954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) use a variable segment in their guide RNA (gRNA) called a spacer to determine the DNA sequence at which the effector protein will exhibit nuclease activity and generate target-specific genetic mutations. However, nuclease activity with different gRNAs can vary considerably, in a spacer sequence-dependent manner that can be difficult to predict. While computational tools are helpful in predicting a CRISPR effector's activity and/or potential for off-target mutagenesis with different gRNAs, individual gRNAs must still be validated in vitro prior to their use. Here, we present compartmentalized CRISPR reactions (CCR) for screening large numbers of spacer/target/off-target combinations simultaneously in vitro for both CRISPR effector activity and specificity, by confining the complete CRISPR reaction of gRNA transcription, RNP formation, and CRISPR target cleavage within individual water-in-oil microemulsions. With CCR, large numbers of the candidate gRNAs (output by computational design tools) can be immediately validated in parallel, and we show that CCR can be used to screen hundreds of thousands of extended gRNA (x-gRNAs) variants that can completely block cleavage at off-target sequences while maintaining high levels of on-target activity. We expect CCR can help to streamline the gRNA generation and validation processes for applications in biological and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tinku Supakar
- T. Supakar, A. H. Nicholas, E. A. Josephs Department of Nanoscience, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC, USA 27401
| | - Ashley Herring-Nicholas
- T. Supakar, A. H. Nicholas, E. A. Josephs Department of Nanoscience, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC, USA 27401
| | - Eric A. Josephs
- T. Supakar, A. H. Nicholas, E. A. Josephs Department of Nanoscience, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC, USA 27401
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26
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Jin L, Liyanage R, Duan D, Chen SJ. Machine learning-inferred and energy landscape-guided analyses reveal kinetic determinants of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.30.591525. [PMID: 38746227 PMCID: PMC11092603 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas nucleases system is widely considered the most important tool in genome engineering. However, current methods for predicting on/off-target effects and designing guide RNA (gRNA) rely on purely data-driven approaches or focus solely on the system's thermal equilibrium properties. Nonetheless, experimental evidence suggests that the process is kinetically controlled rather than being in equilibrium. In this study, we utilized a vast amount of available data and combined random forest, a supervised ensemble learning algorithm, and free energy landscape analysis to investigate the kinetic pathways of R-loop formation in the CRISPR/Cas9 system and the intricate molecular interactions between DNA and the Cas9 RuvC and HNH domains. The study revealed (a) a novel three-state kinetic mechanism, (b) the unfolding of the activation state of the R-loop being the most crucial kinetic determinant and the key predictor for on- and off-target cleavage efficiencies, and (c) the nucleotides from positions +13 to +16 being the kinetically critical nucleotides. The results provide a biophysical rationale for the design of a kinetic strategy for enhancing CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing accuracy and efficiency.
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27
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Lemmens M, Dorsheimer L, Zeller A, Dietz-Baum Y. Non-clinical safety assessment of novel drug modalities: Genome safety perspectives on viral-, nuclease- and nucleotide-based gene therapies. MUTATION RESEARCH. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2024; 896:503767. [PMID: 38821669 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2024.503767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Gene therapies have emerged as promising treatments for various conditions including inherited diseases as well as cancer. Ensuring their safe clinical application requires the development of appropriate safety testing strategies. Several guidelines have been provided by health authorities to address these concerns. These guidelines state that non-clinical testing should be carried out on a case-by-case basis depending on the modality. This review focuses on the genome safety assessment of frequently used gene therapy modalities, namely Adeno Associated Viruses (AAVs), Lentiviruses, designer nucleases and mRNAs. Important safety considerations for these modalities, amongst others, are vector integrations into the patient genome (insertional mutagenesis) and off-target editing. Taking into account the constraints of in vivo studies, health authorities endorse the development of novel approach methodologies (NAMs), which are innovative in vitro strategies for genotoxicity testing. This review provides an overview of NAMs applied to viral and CRISPR/Cas9 safety, including next generation sequencing-based methods for integration site analysis and off-target editing. Additionally, NAMs to evaluate the oncogenicity risk arising from unwanted genomic modifications are discussed. Thus, a range of promising techniques are available to support the safe development of gene therapies. Thorough validation, comparisons and correlations with clinical outcomes are essential to identify the most reliable safety testing strategies. By providing a comprehensive overview of these NAMs, this review aims to contribute to a better understanding of the genome safety perspectives of gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lena Dorsheimer
- Research and Development, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Industriepark Hoechst, Frankfurt am Main 65926, Germany.
| | - Andreas Zeller
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, pRED Innovation Center Basel, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Yasmin Dietz-Baum
- Research and Development, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Industriepark Hoechst, Frankfurt am Main 65926, Germany
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28
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Alizadeh F, Abraghan YJ, Farrokhi S, Yousefi Y, Mirahmadi Y, Eslahi A, Mojarrad M. Production of Duchenne muscular dystrophy cellular model using CRISPR-Cas9 exon deletion strategy. Mol Cell Biochem 2024; 479:1027-1040. [PMID: 37289342 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04759-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive muscle wasting disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the dystrophin gene. Although the search for a definitive cure has failed to date, extensive efforts have been made to introduce effective therapeutic strategies. Gene editing technology is a great revolution in biology, having an immediate application in the generation of research models. DMD muscle cell lines are reliable sources to evaluate and optimize therapeutic strategies, in-depth study of DMD pathology, and screening the effective drugs. However, only a few immortalized muscle cell lines with DMD mutations are available. In addition, obtaining muscle cells from patients also requires an invasive muscle biopsy. Mostly DMD variants are rare, making it challenging to identify a patient with a particular mutation for a muscle biopsy. To overcome these challenges and generate myoblast cultures, we optimized a CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing approach to model the most common DMD mutations that include approximately 28.2% of patients. GAP-PCR and sequencing results show the ability of the CRISPR-Cas9 system to efficient deletion of mentioned exons. We showed producing truncated transcript due to the targeted deletion by RT-PCR and sequencing. Finally, mutation-induced disruption of dystrophin protein expression was confirmed by western blotting. All together, we successfully created four immortalized DMD muscle cell lines and showed the efficacy of the CRISPR-Cas9 system for the generation of immortalized DMD cell models with the targeted deletions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Alizadeh
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Yousef Jafari Abraghan
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Shima Farrokhi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Yasamin Yousefi
- Department of Biochemistry, Mashhad University of Ferdowsi, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Yeganeh Mirahmadi
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Atieh Eslahi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Majid Mojarrad
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Genetic Center of Khorasan Razavi, Mashhad, Iran.
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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29
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Klermund J, Rhiel M, Kocher T, Chmielewski KO, Bischof J, Andrieux G, El Gaz M, Hainzl S, Boerries M, Cornu TI, Koller U, Cathomen T. On- and off-target effects of paired CRISPR-Cas nickase in primary human cells. Mol Ther 2024; 32:1298-1310. [PMID: 38459694 PMCID: PMC11081867 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Undesired on- and off-target effects of CRISPR-Cas nucleases remain a challenge in genome editing. While the use of Cas9 nickases has been shown to minimize off-target mutagenesis, their use in therapeutic genome editing has been hampered by a lack of efficacy. To overcome this limitation, we and others have developed double-nickase-based strategies to generate staggered DNA double-strand breaks to mediate gene disruption or gene correction with high efficiency. However, the impact of paired single-strand nicks on genome integrity has remained largely unexplored. Here, we developed a novel CAST-seq pipeline, dual CAST, to characterize chromosomal aberrations induced by paired CRISPR-Cas9 nickases at three different loci in primary keratinocytes derived from patients with epidermolysis bullosa. While targeting COL7A1, COL17A1, or LAMA3 with Cas9 nucleases caused previously undescribed chromosomal rearrangements, no chromosomal translocations were detected following paired-nickase editing. While the double-nicking strategy induced large deletions/inversions within a 10 kb region surrounding the target sites at all three loci, similar to the nucleases, the chromosomal on-target aberrations were qualitatively different and included a high proportion of insertions. Taken together, our data indicate that double-nickase approaches combine efficient editing with greatly reduced off-target effects but still leave substantial chromosomal aberrations at on-target sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Klermund
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Manuel Rhiel
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Kocher
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Kay Ole Chmielewski
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; PhD Program, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Bischof
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Geoffroy Andrieux
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Melina El Gaz
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Hainzl
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Melanie Boerries
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner Site Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tatjana I Cornu
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Koller
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Toni Cathomen
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
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30
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Chrzanowski S, Batra R. CRISPR-Based Gene Editing Techniques in Pediatric Neurological Disorders. Pediatr Neurol 2024; 153:166-174. [PMID: 38394831 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2024.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of gene editing technologies offers a unique opportunity to develop mutation-specific treatments for pediatric neurological disorders. Gene editing systems can potentially alter disease trajectory by correcting dysfunctional mutations or therapeutically altering gene expression. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based approaches are attractive gene therapy platforms to personalize treatments because of their specificity, ease of design, versatility, and cost. However, many such approaches remain in the early stages of development, with ongoing efforts to optimize editing efficiency, minimize unintended off-target effects, and mitigate pathologic immune responses. Given the rapid evolution of CRISPR-based therapies, it is prudent for the clinically based child neurologist to have a conceptual understanding of what such therapies may entail, including both benefits and risks and how such therapies may be clinically applied. In this review, we describe the fundamentals of CRISPR-based therapies, discuss the opportunities and challenges that have arisen, and highlight preclinical work in several pediatric neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Chrzanowski
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
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31
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Lazzarotto CR, Katta V, Li Y, Urbina E, Lee G, Tsai SQ. CHANGE-seq-BE enables simultaneously sensitive and unbiased in vitro profiling of base editor genome-wide activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.28.586621. [PMID: 38585919 PMCID: PMC10996588 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.28.586621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Base editors ( BE ) enable programmable conversion of nucleotides in genomic DNA without double-stranded breaks and have substantial promise to become new transformative genome editing medicines. Sensitive and unbiased detection of base editor off-target effects is important for identifying safety risks unique to base editors and translation to human therapeutics, as well as accurate use in life sciences research. However, current methods for understanding the global activities of base editors have limitations in terms of sensitivity or bias. Here we present CHANGE-seq-BE, a novel method to directly assess the off-target profile of base editors that is simultaneously sensitive and unbiased. CHANGE-seq-BE is based on the principle of selective sequencing of adenine base editor modified genomic DNA in vitro , and provides an accessible, rapid, and comprehensive method for identifying genome-wide off-target mutations of base editors.
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32
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Li Z, You L, Hermann A, Bier E. Developmental progression of DNA double-strand break repair deciphered by a single-allele resolution mutation classifier. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2629. [PMID: 38521791 PMCID: PMC10960810 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46479-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are repaired by a hierarchically regulated network of pathways. Factors influencing the choice of particular repair pathways, however remain poorly characterized. Here we develop an Integrated Classification Pipeline (ICP) to decompose and categorize CRISPR/Cas9 generated mutations on genomic target sites in complex multicellular insects. The ICP outputs graphic rank ordered classifications of mutant alleles to visualize discriminating DSB repair fingerprints generated from different target sites and alternative inheritance patterns of CRISPR components. We uncover highly reproducible lineage-specific mutation fingerprints in individual organisms and a developmental progression wherein Microhomology-Mediated End-Joining (MMEJ) or Insertion events predominate during early rapid mitotic cell cycles, switching to distinct subsets of Non-Homologous End-Joining (NHEJ) alleles, and then to Homology-Directed Repair (HDR)-based gene conversion. These repair signatures enable marker-free tracking of specific mutations in dynamic populations, including NHEJ and HDR events within the same samples, for in-depth analysis of diverse gene editing events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqian Li
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Lang You
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Anita Hermann
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Ethan Bier
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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33
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Perez-Bermejo JA, Efagene O, Matern WM, Holden JK, Kabir S, Chew GM, Andreoletti G, Catton E, Ennis CL, Garcia A, Gerstenberg TL, Hill KA, Jain A, Krassovsky K, Lalisan CD, Lord D, Quejarro BJ, Sales-Lee J, Shah M, Silva BJ, Skowronski J, Strukov YG, Thomas J, Veraz M, Vijay T, Wallace KA, Yuan Y, Grogan JL, Wienert B, Lahiri P, Treusch S, Dever DP, Soros VB, Partridge JR, Seim KL. Functional screening in human HSPCs identifies optimized protein-based enhancers of Homology Directed Repair. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2625. [PMID: 38521763 PMCID: PMC10960832 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46816-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Homology Directed Repair (HDR) enables precise genome editing, but the implementation of HDR-based therapies is hindered by limited efficiency in comparison to methods that exploit alternative DNA repair routes, such as Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ). In this study, we develop a functional, pooled screening platform to identify protein-based reagents that improve HDR in human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). We leverage this screening platform to explore sequence diversity at the binding interface of the NHEJ inhibitor i53 and its target, 53BP1, identifying optimized variants that enable new intermolecular bonds and robustly increase HDR. We show that these variants specifically reduce insertion-deletion outcomes without increasing off-target editing, synergize with a DNAPK inhibitor molecule, and can be applied at manufacturing scale to increase the fraction of cells bearing repaired alleles. This screening platform can enable the discovery of future gene editing reagents that improve HDR outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Meet Shah
- Graphite Bio, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yue Yuan
- Graphite Bio, South San Francisco, CA, USA
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34
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Singh S, Pugliano CM, Honaker Y, Laird A, DeGottardi MQ, Lopez E, Lachkar S, Stoffers C, Sommer K, Khan IF, Rawlings DJ. Efficient and sustained FOXP3 locus editing in hematopoietic stem cells as a therapeutic approach for IPEX syndrome. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101183. [PMID: 38282895 PMCID: PMC10818254 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked (IPEX) syndrome is a monogenic disorder caused by mutations in the FOXP3 gene, required for generation of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Loss of Treg cells leads to immune dysregulation characterized by multi-organ autoimmunity and early mortality. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation can be curative, but success is limited by autoimmune complications, donor availability and/or graft-vs.-host disease. Correction of FOXP3 in autologous HSC utilizing a homology-directed repair (HDR)-based platform may provide a safer alternative therapy. Here, we demonstrate efficient editing of FOXP3 utilizing co-delivery of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes and adeno-associated viral vectors to achieve HDR rates of >40% in vitro using mobilized CD34+ cells from multiple donors. Using this approach to deliver either a GFP or a FOXP3 cDNA donor cassette, we demonstrate sustained bone marrow engraftment of approximately 10% of HDR-edited cells in immune-deficient recipient mice at 16 weeks post-transplant. Further, we show targeted integration of FOXP3 cDNA in CD34+ cells from an IPEX patient and expression of the introduced FOXP3 transcript in gene-edited primary T cells from both healthy individuals and IPEX patients. Our combined findings suggest that refinement of this approach is likely to provide future clinical benefit in IPEX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Singh
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Cole M. Pugliano
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Yuchi Honaker
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Aidan Laird
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - M. Quinn DeGottardi
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Ezra Lopez
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Stefan Lachkar
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Claire Stoffers
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Karen Sommer
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Iram F. Khan
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - David J. Rawlings
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies and the Program for Cell and Gene Therapy, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
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35
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Xu F, Zheng C, Xu W, Zhang S, Liu S, Chen X, Yao K. Breaking genetic shackles: The advance of base editing in genetic disorder treatment. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1364135. [PMID: 38510648 PMCID: PMC10953296 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1364135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of gene editing technology has markedly improved the outlook for treating genetic diseases. Base editing, recognized as an exceptionally precise genetic modification tool, is emerging as a focus in the realm of genetic disease therapy. We provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamental principles and delivery methods of cytosine base editors (CBE), adenine base editors (ABE), and RNA base editors, with a particular focus on their applications and recent research advances in the treatment of genetic diseases. We have also explored the potential challenges faced by base editing technology in treatment, including aspects such as targeting specificity, safety, and efficacy, and have enumerated a series of possible solutions to propel the clinical translation of base editing technology. In conclusion, this article not only underscores the present state of base editing technology but also envisions its tremendous potential in the future, providing a novel perspective on the treatment of genetic diseases. It underscores the vast potential of base editing technology in the realm of genetic medicine, providing support for the progression of gene medicine and the development of innovative approaches to genetic disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Xu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Caiyan Zheng
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Weihui Xu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shiyao Zhang
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaopeng Chen
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Yao
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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36
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Chen L, Zhang C, Xue R, Liu M, Bai J, Bao J, Wang Y, Jiang N, Li Z, Wang W, Wang R, Zheng B, Yang A, Hu J, Liu K, Shen S, Zhang Y, Bai M, Wang Y, Zhu Y, Yang S, Gao Q, Gu J, Gao D, Wang XW, Nakagawa H, Zhang N, Wu L, Rozen SG, Bai F, Wang H. Deep whole-genome analysis of 494 hepatocellular carcinomas. Nature 2024; 627:586-593. [PMID: 38355797 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07054-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Over half of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases diagnosed worldwide are in China1-3. However, whole-genome analysis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC in Chinese individuals is limited4-8, with current analyses of HCC mainly from non-HBV-enriched populations9,10. Here we initiated the Chinese Liver Cancer Atlas (CLCA) project and performed deep whole-genome sequencing (average depth, 120×) of 494 HCC tumours. We identified 6 coding and 28 non-coding previously undescribed driver candidates. Five previously undescribed mutational signatures were found, including aristolochic-acid-associated indel and doublet base signatures, and a single-base-substitution signature that we termed SBS_H8. Pentanucleotide context analysis and experimental validation confirmed that SBS_H8 was distinct to the aristolochic-acid-associated SBS22. Notably, HBV integrations could take the form of extrachromosomal circular DNA, resulting in elevated copy numbers and gene expression. Our high-depth data also enabled us to characterize subclonal clustered alterations, including chromothripsis, chromoplexy and kataegis, suggesting that these catastrophic events could also occur in late stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. Pathway analysis of all classes of alterations further linked non-coding mutations to dysregulation of liver metabolism. Finally, we performed in vitro and in vivo assays to show that fibrinogen alpha chain (FGA), determined as both a candidate coding and non-coding driver, regulates HCC progression and metastasis. Our CLCA study depicts a detailed genomic landscape and evolutionary history of HCC in Chinese individuals, providing important clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chong Zhang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ruidong Xue
- Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, International Cancer Institute, Department of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
- Translational Cancer Research Center, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Mo Liu
- Centre for Computational Biology and Programme in Cancer & Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jian Bai
- Berry Oncology Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Jinxia Bao
- Model Animal Research Center, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yin Wang
- Berry Oncology Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Nanhai Jiang
- Centre for Computational Biology and Programme in Cancer & Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhixuan Li
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenwen Wang
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruiru Wang
- Berry Oncology Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Zheng
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Ji Hu
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Berry Oncology Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Siyun Shen
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yangqianwen Zhang
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Mixue Bai
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Berry Oncology Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Yanjing Zhu
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai Yang
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
- The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Gu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Bioinformatics, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hidewaki Nakagawa
- Laboratory for Cancer Genomics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ning Zhang
- Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, International Cancer Institute, Department of Medical Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
- Translational Cancer Research Center, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Wu
- Berry Oncology Corporation, Beijing, China.
| | - Steven G Rozen
- Centre for Computational Biology and Programme in Cancer & Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Fan Bai
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Hongyang Wang
- National Center for Liver Cancer/Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China.
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37
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Salomonsson SE, Clelland CD. Building CRISPR Gene Therapies for the Central Nervous System: A Review. JAMA Neurol 2024; 81:283-290. [PMID: 38285472 PMCID: PMC11164426 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.4983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Importance Gene editing using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) holds the promise to arrest or cure monogenic disease if it can be determined which genetic change to create without inducing unintended cellular dysfunction and how to deliver this technology to the target organ reliably and safely. Clinical trials for blood and liver disorders, for which delivery of CRISPR is not limiting, show promise, yet no trials have begun for central nervous system (CNS) indications. Observations The CNS is arguably the most challenging target given its innate exclusion of large molecules and its defenses against bacterial invasion (from which CRISPR originates). Herein, the types of CRISPR editing (DNA cutting, base editing, and templated repair) and how these are applied to different genetic variants are summarized. The challenges of delivering genome editors to the CNS, including the viral and nonviral delivery vehicles that may ultimately circumvent these challenges, are discussed. Also, ways to minimize the potential in vivo genotoxic effects of genome editors through delivery vehicle design and preclinical off-target testing are considered. The ethical considerations of germline editing, a potential off-target outcome of any gene editing therapy, are explored. The unique regulatory challenges of a human-specific therapy that cannot be derisked solely in animal models are also discussed. Conclusions and Relevance An understanding of both the potential benefits and challenges of CRISPR gene therapy better informs the scientific, clinical, regulatory, and timeline considerations of developing CRISPR gene therapy for neurologic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally E Salomonsson
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Claire D Clelland
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco
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38
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Sun J, Guo J, Liu J. CRISPR-M: Predicting sgRNA off-target effect using a multi-view deep learning network. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1011972. [PMID: 38483980 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Using the CRISPR-Cas9 system to perform base substitutions at the target site is a typical technique for genome editing with the potential for applications in gene therapy and agricultural productivity. When the CRISPR-Cas9 system uses guide RNA to direct the Cas9 endonuclease to the target site, it may misdirect it to a potential off-target site, resulting in an unintended genome editing. Although several computational methods have been proposed to predict off-target effects, there is still room for improvement in the off-target effect prediction capability. In this paper, we present an effective approach called CRISPR-M with a new encoding scheme and a novel multi-view deep learning model to predict the sgRNA off-target effects for target sites containing indels and mismatches. CRISPR-M takes advantage of convolutional neural networks and bidirectional long short-term memory recurrent neural networks to construct a three-branch network towards multi-views. Compared with existing methods, CRISPR-M demonstrates significant performance advantages running on real-world datasets. Furthermore, experimental analysis of CRISPR-M under multiple metrics reveals its capability to extract features and validates its superiority on sgRNA off-target effect predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialiang Sun
- College of Computer Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Guo
- College of Software, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jian Liu
- College of Computer Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Centre for Bioinformatics and Intelligent Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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Bischof J, Hierl M, Koller U. Emerging Gene Therapeutics for Epidermolysis Bullosa under Development. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2243. [PMID: 38396920 PMCID: PMC10889532 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The monogenetic disease epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is characterised by the formation of extended blisters and lesions on the patient's skin upon minimal mechanical stress. Causal for this severe condition are genetic mutations in genes, leading to the functional impairment, reduction, or absence of the encoded protein within the skin's basement membrane zone connecting the epidermis to the underlying dermis. The major burden of affected families justifies the development of long-lasting and curative therapies operating at the genomic level. The landscape of causal therapies for EB is steadily expanding due to recent breakthroughs in the gene therapy field, providing promising outcomes for patients suffering from this severe disease. Currently, two gene therapeutic approaches show promise for EB. The clinically more advanced gene replacement strategy was successfully applied in severe EB forms, leading to a ground-breaking in vivo gene therapy product named beremagene geperpavec (B-VEC) recently approved from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition, the continuous innovations in both designer nucleases and gene editing technologies enable the efficient and potentially safe repair of mutations in EB in a potentially permanent manner, inspiring researchers in the field to define and reach new milestones in the therapy of EB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Bischof
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (J.B.); (M.H.)
| | - Markus Hierl
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (J.B.); (M.H.)
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ulrich Koller
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (J.B.); (M.H.)
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Macarrón Palacios A, Korus P, Wilkens BGC, Heshmatpour N, Patnaik SR. Revolutionizing in vivo therapy with CRISPR/Cas genome editing: breakthroughs, opportunities and challenges. Front Genome Ed 2024; 6:1342193. [PMID: 38362491 PMCID: PMC10867117 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2024.1342193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Genome editing using the CRISPR/Cas system has revolutionized the field of genetic engineering, offering unprecedented opportunities for therapeutic applications in vivo. Despite the numerous ongoing clinical trials focusing on ex vivo genome editing, recent studies emphasize the therapeutic promise of in vivo gene editing using CRISPR/Cas technology. However, it is worth noting that the complete attainment of the inherent capabilities of in vivo therapy in humans is yet to be accomplished. Before the full realization of in vivo therapeutic potential, it is crucial to achieve enhanced specificity in selectively targeting defective cells while minimizing harm to healthy cells. This review examines emerging studies, focusing on CRISPR/Cas-based pre-clinical and clinical trials for innovative therapeutic approaches for a wide range of diseases. Furthermore, we emphasize targeting cancer-specific sequences target in genes associated with tumors, shedding light on the diverse strategies employed in cancer treatment. We highlight the various challenges associated with in vivo CRISPR/Cas-based cancer therapy and explore their prospective clinical translatability and the strategies employed to overcome these obstacles.
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41
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Ye L, Lam SZ, Yang L, Suzuki K, Zou Y, Lin Q, Zhang Y, Clark P, Peng L, Chen S. AAV-mediated delivery of a Sleeping Beauty transposon and an mRNA-encoded transposase for the engineering of therapeutic immune cells. Nat Biomed Eng 2024; 8:132-148. [PMID: 37430157 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01058-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Engineering cells for adoptive therapy requires overcoming limitations in cell viability and, in the efficiency of transgene delivery, the duration of transgene expression and the stability of genomic integration. Here we report a gene-delivery system consisting of a Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposase encoded into a messenger RNA delivered by an adeno-associated virus (AAV) encoding an SB transposon that includes the desired transgene, for mediating the permanent integration of the transgene. Compared with lentiviral vectors and with the electroporation of plasmids of transposon DNA or minicircle DNA, the gene-delivery system, which we named MAJESTIC (for 'mRNA AAV-SB joint engineering of stable therapeutic immune cells'), offers prolonged transgene expression, as well as higher transgene expression, therapeutic-cell yield and cell viability. MAJESTIC can deliver chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) into T cells (which we show lead to strong anti-tumour activity in vivo) and also transduce natural killer cells, myeloid cells and induced pluripotent stem cells with bi-specific CARs, kill-switch CARs and synthetic T-cell receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lupeng Ye
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Stanley Z Lam
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Luojia Yang
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Development Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Kazushi Suzuki
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yongji Zou
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Qianqian Lin
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yueqi Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Paul Clark
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lei Peng
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sidi Chen
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA.
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA.
- Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Development Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Immunobiology Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Center for Biomedical Data Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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42
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Lopes R, Prasad MK. Beyond the promise: evaluating and mitigating off-target effects in CRISPR gene editing for safer therapeutics. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 11:1339189. [PMID: 38390600 PMCID: PMC10883050 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1339189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, CRISPR has revolutionized drug development due to its potential to cure genetic diseases that currently do not have any treatment. CRISPR was adapted from bacteria for gene editing in human cells in 2012 and, remarkably, only 11 years later has seen it's very first approval as a medicine for the treatment of sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. However, the application of CRISPR systems is associated with unintended off-target and on-target alterations (including small indels, and structural variations such as translocations, inversions and large deletions), which are a source of risk for patients and a vital concern for the development of safe therapies. In recent years, a wide range of methods has been developed to detect unwanted effects of CRISPR-Cas nuclease activity. In this review, we summarize the different methods for off-target assessment, discuss their strengths and limitations, and highlight strategies to improve the safety of CRISPR systems. Finally, we discuss their relevance and application for the pre-clinical risk assessment of CRISPR therapeutics within the current regulatory context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Lopes
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Centre Basel, F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Megana K Prasad
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Centre Basel, F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
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Shumega AR, Pavlov YI, Chirinskaite AV, Rubel AA, Inge-Vechtomov SG, Stepchenkova EI. CRISPR/Cas9 as a Mutagenic Factor. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:823. [PMID: 38255897 PMCID: PMC10815272 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the CRISPR/Cas9 microbial adaptive immune system has revolutionized the field of genetics, by greatly enhancing the capacity for genome editing. CRISPR/Cas9-based editing starts with DNA breaks (or other lesions) predominantly at target sites and, unfortunately, at off-target genome sites. DNA repair systems differing in accuracy participate in establishing desired genetic changes but also introduce unwanted mutations, that may lead to hereditary, oncological, and other diseases. New approaches to alleviate the risks associated with genome editing include attenuating the off-target activity of editing complex through the use of modified forms of Cas9 nuclease and single guide RNA (sgRNA), improving delivery methods for sgRNA/Cas9 complex, and directing DNA lesions caused by the sgRNA/Cas9 to non-mutagenic repair pathways. Here, we have described CRISPR/Cas9 as a new powerful mutagenic factor, discussed its mutagenic properties, and reviewed factors influencing the mutagenic activity of CRISPR/Cas9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey R. Shumega
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.R.S.); (S.G.I.-V.)
| | - Youri I. Pavlov
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pathology and Microbiology, Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Angelina V. Chirinskaite
- Center of Transgenesis and Genome Editing, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Aleksandr A. Rubel
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Sergey G. Inge-Vechtomov
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.R.S.); (S.G.I.-V.)
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, St. Petersburg Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elena I. Stepchenkova
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.R.S.); (S.G.I.-V.)
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, St. Petersburg Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
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44
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An M, Raguram A, Du SW, Banskota S, Davis JR, Newby GA, Chen PZ, Palczewski K, Liu DR. Engineered virus-like particles for transient delivery of prime editor ribonucleoprotein complexes in vivo. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-023-02078-y. [PMID: 38191664 PMCID: PMC11228131 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-02078-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Prime editing enables precise installation of genomic substitutions, insertions and deletions in living systems. Efficient in vitro and in vivo delivery of prime editing components, however, remains a challenge. Here we report prime editor engineered virus-like particles (PE-eVLPs) that deliver prime editor proteins, prime editing guide RNAs and nicking single guide RNAs as transient ribonucleoprotein complexes. We systematically engineered v3 and v3b PE-eVLPs with 65- to 170-fold higher editing efficiency in human cells compared to a PE-eVLP construct based on our previously reported base editor eVLP architecture. In two mouse models of genetic blindness, single injections of v3 PE-eVLPs resulted in therapeutically relevant levels of prime editing in the retina, protein expression restoration and partial visual function rescue. Optimized PE-eVLPs support transient in vivo delivery of prime editor ribonucleoproteins, enhancing the potential safety of prime editing by reducing off-target editing and obviating the possibility of oncogenic transgene integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meirui An
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aditya Raguram
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samuel W Du
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Samagya Banskota
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jessie R Davis
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gregory A Newby
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Paul Z Chen
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Krzysztof Palczewski
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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45
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Torella L, Klermund J, Bilbao-Arribas M, Tamayo I, Andrieux G, Chmielewski KO, Vales A, Olagüe C, Moreno-Luqui D, Raimondi I, Abad A, Torrens-Baile J, Salido E, Huarte M, Hernaez M, Boerries M, Cathomen T, Zabaleta N, Gonzalez-Aseguinolaza G. Efficient and safe therapeutic use of paired Cas9-nickases for primary hyperoxaluria type 1. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:112-131. [PMID: 38182795 PMCID: PMC10897483 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-023-00008-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic use of adeno-associated viral vector (AAV)-mediated gene disruption using CRISPR-Cas9 is limited by potential off-target modifications and the risk of uncontrolled integration of vector genomes into CRISPR-mediated double-strand breaks. To address these concerns, we explored the use of AAV-delivered paired Staphylococcus aureus nickases (D10ASaCas9) to target the Hao1 gene for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1). Our study demonstrated effective Hao1 gene disruption, a significant decrease in glycolate oxidase expression, and a therapeutic effect in PH1 mice. The assessment of undesired genetic modifications through CIRCLE-seq and CAST-Seq analyses revealed neither off-target activity nor chromosomal translocations. Importantly, the use of paired-D10ASaCas9 resulted in a significant reduction in AAV integration at the target site compared to SaCas9 nuclease. In addition, our study highlights the limitations of current analytical tools in characterizing modifications introduced by paired D10ASaCas9, necessitating the development of a custom pipeline for more accurate characterization. These results describe a positive advance towards a safe and effective potential long-term treatment for PH1 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Torella
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Julia Klermund
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martin Bilbao-Arribas
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
- IdISNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ibon Tamayo
- IdISNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
- Bioinformatics Core, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Geoffroy Andrieux
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79110, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Kay O Chmielewski
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Africa Vales
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Cristina Olagüe
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Daniel Moreno-Luqui
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ivan Raimondi
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Amaya Abad
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Julen Torrens-Baile
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Eduardo Salido
- Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad La Laguna, CIBERER, 38320, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Maite Huarte
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Mikel Hernaez
- IdISNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
- Bioinformatics Core, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Melanie Boerries
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79110, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Toni Cathomen
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Nerea Zabaleta
- Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Mass Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, 02114, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Gloria Gonzalez-Aseguinolaza
- DNA & RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
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Becker HJ, Yamazaki S. Understanding genetic heterogeneity in gene-edited hematopoietic stem cell products. Exp Hematol 2024; 129:104133. [PMID: 38036097 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2023.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas gene editing has transformed genetic research and is poised to drive the next generation of gene therapies targeting hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). However, the installation of the "desired" edit is most often only achieved in a minor subset of alleles. The array of cellular pathways triggered by gene editing tools produces a broad spectrum of "undesired" editing outcomes, including short insertions and deletions (indels) and chromosome rearrangements, leading to considerable genetic heterogeneity in gene-edited HSC populations. This heterogeneity may undermine the effect of the genetic intervention since only a subset of cells will carry the intended modification. Also, undesired mutations represent a potential safety concern as gene editing advances toward broader clinical use. Here, we will review the different sources of "undesired" edits and will discuss strategies for their mitigation and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Jiro Becker
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Tsukuba University, Tsukuba, Japan; Division of Cell Regulation, Center of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Yamazaki
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Tsukuba University, Tsukuba, Japan; Division of Cell Regulation, Center of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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47
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Lee Y, Oh Y, Lee SH. Recent advances in genome engineering by CRISPR technology. BMB Rep 2024; 57:12-18. [PMID: 38053294 PMCID: PMC10828434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the development of CRISPR technology, the era of effective editing of target genes has arrived. However, the offtarget problem that occurs when recognizing target DNA due to the inherent nature of CRISPR components remains the biggest task to be overcome in the future. In this review, the principle of inducing such unintended off-target editing is analyzed from the structural aspect of CRISPR, and the methodology that has been developed to reduce off-target editing until now is summarized. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(1): 12-18].
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngsik Lee
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea
| | - Yeounsun Oh
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea
| | - Seung Hwan Lee
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea
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48
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Fu Y, He X, Gao XD, Li F, Ge S, Yang Z, Fan X. Prime editing: current advances and therapeutic opportunities in human diseases. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2023; 68:3278-3291. [PMID: 37973465 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Gene editing ushers in a new era of disease treatment since many genetic diseases are caused by base-pair mutations in genomic DNA. With the rapid development of genome editing technology, novel editing tools such as base editing and prime editing (PE) have attracted public attention, heralding a great leap forward in this field. PE, in particular, is characterized by no need for double-strand breaks (DSBs) or homology sequence templates with variable application scenarios, including point mutations as well as insertions or deletions. With higher editing efficiency and fewer byproducts than traditional editing tools, PE holds great promise as a therapeutic strategy for human diseases. Subsequently, a growing demand for the standard construction of PE system has spawned numerous easy-to-access internet resources and tools for personalized prime editing guide RNA (pegRNA) design and off-target site prediction. In this review, we mainly introduce the innovation and evolutionary strategy of PE systems and the auxiliary tools for PE design and analysis. Additionally, its application and future potential in the clinical field have been summarized and envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidian Fu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xiaoyu He
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xin D Gao
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge MA 02141, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138, USA
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Shengfang Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai 200011, China.
| | - Zhi Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai 200011, China.
| | - Xianqun Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai 200011, China.
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Lee S, Kim TD. Breakthroughs in Cancer Immunotherapy: An Overview of T Cell, NK Cell, Mφ, and DC-Based Treatments. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17634. [PMID: 38139461 PMCID: PMC10744055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Efforts to treat cancer using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy have made astonishing progress and clinical trials against hematopoietic malignancies have demonstrated their use. However, there are still disadvantages which need to be addressed: high costs, and side effects such as Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) and Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS). Therefore, recent efforts have been made to harness the properties of certain immune cells to treat cancer-not just T cells, but also natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages (Mφ), dendritic cells (DC), etc. In this paper, we will introduce immune cell-based cellular therapies that use various immune cells and describe their characteristics and their clinical situation. The development of immune cell-based cancer therapy fully utilizing the unique advantages of each and every immune cell is expected to enhance the survival of tumor patients owing to their high efficiency and fewer side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunyoung Lee
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea;
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Don Kim
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea;
- KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
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Walker AJ, Graham C, Greenwood M, Woodall M, Maeshima R, O’Hara-Wright M, Sanz DJ, Guerrini I, Aldossary AM, O’Callaghan C, Baines DL, Harrison PT, Hart SL. Molecular and functional correction of a deep intronic splicing mutation in CFTR by CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 31:101140. [PMID: 38027060 PMCID: PMC10661860 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the CFTR gene. The 10th most common mutation, c.3178-2477C>T (3849+10kb C>T), involves a cryptic, intronic splice site. This mutation was corrected in CF primary cells homozygous for this mutation by delivering pairs of guide RNAs (gRNAs) with Cas9 protein in ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes that introduce double-strand breaks to flanking sites to excise the 3849+10kb C>T mutation, followed by DNA repair by the non-homologous end-joining pathway, which functions in all cells of the airway epithelium. RNP complexes were delivered to CF basal epithelial cell by a non-viral, receptor-targeted nanocomplex comprising a formulation of targeting peptides and lipids. Canonical CFTR mRNA splicing was, thus, restored leading to the restoration of CFTR protein expression with concomitant restoration of electrophysiological function in airway epithelial air-liquid interface cultures. Off-target editing was not detected by Sanger sequencing of in silico-selected genomic sites with the highest sequence similarities to the gRNAs, although more sensitive unbiased whole genome sequencing methods would be required for possible translational developments. This approach could potentially be used to correct aberrant splicing signals in several other CF mutations and other genetic disorders where deep-intronic mutations are pathogenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J. Walker
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Carina Graham
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Miriam Greenwood
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Maximillian Woodall
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George’s, University of London, London, UK
| | - Ruhina Maeshima
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Michelle O’Hara-Wright
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - David J. Sanz
- Department of Physiology, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Ileana Guerrini
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Ahmad M. Aldossary
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Christopher O’Callaghan
- Infection, Immunity & Inflammation Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Deborah L. Baines
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George’s, University of London, London, UK
| | - Patrick T. Harrison
- Department of Physiology, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Stephen L. Hart
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
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