CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing induces neurological recovery in an A53T-SNCA overexpression rat model of Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

To date, no publicly available disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson’s disease has been developed. This can be partly attributed to the absence of techniques for in vivo deletion of the SNCA gene (encoding α-synuclein), which is one of the key players in Parkinson’s disease pathology. In particular, A53T-mutated SNCA (A53T-SNCA) is one of the most studied familial pathologic mutations in Parkinson’s disease. Here we utilized a recently discovered genome editing technique, CRISPR/Cas9, to delete A53T-SNCA in vitro and in vivo. Among various CRISPR/Cas9 systems, SaCas9-KKH with a single guide RNA (sgRNA) targeting A53T-SNCA was packaged into adeno-associated virus. Adeno-associated virus carrying SaCas9-KKH significantly reduced A53T-SNCA levels in A53T-SNCA-overexpressed HEK293T cells, without off-target effects on wild-type SNCA. Furthermore, we tested the technique’s in vivo therapeutic potential in a viral A53T-SNCA overexpression rat model of Parkinson’s disease. Gene deletion of A53T-SNCA significantly prevented the overexpression of α-synuclein, dopaminergic neurodegeneration, and parkinsonian motor symptoms, whereas a negative control without sgRNA did not. Our findings propose CRISPR/Cas9 system as a potential therapeutic tool for A53T-SNCA familial Parkinson’s disease.