Small molecule v-ATPase inhibitor Etidronate lowers levels of ALS protein ataxin-2

Antisense oligonucleotide therapy targeting ATXN2--a gene in which mutations cause neurodegenerative diseases spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--has entered clinical trials in humans. Additional methods to lower ataxin-2 levels would be beneficial not only in uncovering potentially cheaper or less invasive therapies, but also in gaining greater mechanistic insight into how ataxin-2 is normally regulated. We performed a genome-wide fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS)-based CRISPR screen in human cells and identified multiple subunits of the lysosomal vacuolar ATPase (v-ATPase) as regulators of ataxin-2 levels. We demonstrate that Etidronate--a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug that inhibits the v-ATPase--lowers ataxin-2 protein levels in mouse and human neurons. Moreover, oral administration of the drug to mice in their water supply and food is sufficient to lower ataxin-2 levels in the brain. Thus, we uncover Etidronate as a safe and inexpensive compound for lowering ataxin-2 levels and demonstrate the utility of FACS-based screens for identifying targets to modulate levels of human disease proteins.