Functional correction of CFTR mutations in human airway epithelial cells using adenine base editors.

Nucleic acids research
Authors
Abstract

Mutations in the CFTR gene that lead to premature stop codons or splicing defects cause cystic fibrosis (CF) and are not amenable to treatment by small-molecule modulators. Here, we investigate the use of adenine base editor (ABE) ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) that convert A•T to G•C base pairs as a therapeutic strategy for three CF-causing mutations. Using ABE RNPs, we corrected in human airway epithelial cells premature stop codon mutations (R553X and W1282X) and a splice-site mutation (3849 + 10 kb C > T). Following ABE delivery, DNA sequencing revealed correction of these pathogenic mutations at efficiencies that reached 38-82% with minimal bystander edits or indels. This range of editing was sufficient to attain functional correction of CFTR-dependent anion channel activity in primary epithelial cells from CF patients and in a CF patient-derived cell line. These results demonstrate the utility of base editor RNPs to repair CFTR mutations that are not currently treatable with approved therapeutics.

Year of Publication
2021
Journal
Nucleic acids research
Volume
49
Issue
18
Pages
10558-10572
Date Published
10/2021
ISSN
1362-4962
DOI
10.1093/nar/gkab788
PubMed ID
34520545
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