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Enhancer-targeted CRISPR-Activation Rescues Haploinsufficient Autism Susceptibility Genes

Chen, G. T.; Nair, G.; Osorio, A. J.; Holley, S. M.; Ghassemzadeh, K.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Lu, C.; Sanjana, N. E.; Cepeda, C.; Geschwind, D.

2024-03-14 neuroscience
10.1101/2024.03.13.584921 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable condition with diverse clinical presentations. Approximately 20% of ASDs genetic susceptibility is imparted by de novo mutations of major effect, most of which cause haploinsufficiency. We mapped enhancers of two high confidence autism genes - CHD8 and SCN2A and used CRISPR-based gene activation (CRISPR-A) in hPSC-derived excitatory neurons and cerebral forebrain organoids to correct the effects of haploinsufficiency, taking advantage of the presence of a wildtype allele of each gene and endogenous gene regulation. We found that CRISPR-A induced a sustained increase in CHD8 and SCN2A expression in treated neurons and organoids, with rescue of gene expression levels and mutation-associated phenotypes, including gene expression and physiology. These data support gene activation via targeting enhancers of haploinsufficient genes, as a therapeutic intervention in ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

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