RNA-Targeting CRISPR/Cas13d System Eliminates Disease-Related Phenotypes in Pre-clinical Models of Huntington's Disease.

Abstract

Huntingtons disease (HD) is a fatal, dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG trinucleotide expansion in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Although the pathogenesis of HD remains complex, the CAG-expanded (CAGEX) HTT mRNA and protein ultimately causes disease through a toxic gain-of-function mechanism. As the reduction of pathogenic mutant HTT mRNA is beneficial as a treatment, we developed a CAGEX RNA-eliminating CRISPR-Cas13d system (Cas13d/CAGEX) that binds and eliminates toxic CAGEX RNA in HD patient iPSC-derived striatal neurons. We show that intrastriatal delivery of Cas13d/CAGEX via a single adeno-associated viral vector, serotype 9 (AAV9) mediates significant and selective reduction of mutant HTT mRNA and protein levels within the striatum of heterozygous zQ175 mice, an established mouse model of HD. Moreover, the reduction of mutant HTT mRNA renders a sustained reversal of HD phenotypes, including improved motor coordination, attenuated striatal atrophy, and reduction of mutant HTT protein aggregates. Importantly, phenotypic improvements were durable for at least 8 months without gross or behavioral adverse effects, and with minimal off-target interactions of Cas13d/CAGEX in the mouse transcriptome. Taken together, we demonstrate a proof-of-principle of an RNA-targeting CRISPR/Cas13d system as a therapeutic approach for HD, a strategy with broad implications for the treatment of other dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorders.