Cas9 Nickase-Mediated Contraction of CAG/CTG Repeats in Vivo is Accompanied by Improvements in Huntington's Disease Pathology

Abstract

Expanded CAG/CTG repeats cause over 15 different diseases that all remain without a disease-modifying treatment. Because repeat length accounts for most of the variation in disease severity, contracting them presents an attractive therapeutic avenue. Here, we show that the CRISPR-Cas9 nickase targeted to CAG/CTG repeats leads to efficient contractions in Huntingtons disease patient-derived neurons and astrocytes, and in myotonic dystrophy type 1 patient-derived neurons. The approach is allele-selective and free of detectable off-target mutations. Striatal injection of the Cas9 nickase in a mouse model for Huntingtons disease using adeno-associated viral vectors led to contractions in over half the infected cells. Upon injection, we observed a reduction in the number of inclusion bodies, improved transcriptome, and ameliorated locomotion. The effects were greater than expected from the contractions induced and suggest that non-cell autonomous mechanisms may be involved. Our results provide the proof-of-concept that correction of CAG/CTG repeats can improve Huntingtons disease phenotypes in vivo. One sentence summaryThe Cas9 nickase contracts CAG/CTG repeats at multiple disease loci in patient-derived cells and improves molecular and behavioral phenotypes in HD.