Genome editing abrogates angiogenesis in vivo

Nat Commun. 2017 Jul 24;8(1):112. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00140-3.

Abstract

Angiogenesis, in which vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 2 plays an essential role, is associated with a variety of human diseases including proliferative diabetic retinopathy and wet age-related macular degeneration. Here we report that a system of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated endonuclease (Cas)9 from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) is used to deplete VEGFR2 in vascular endothelial cells (ECs), whereby the expression of SpCas9 is driven by an endothelial-specific promoter of intercellular adhesion molecule 2. We further show that recombinant AAV serotype 1 (rAAV1) transduces ECs of pathologic vessels, and that editing of genomic VEGFR2 locus using rAAV1-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 abrogates angiogenesis in the mouse models of oxygen-induced retinopathy and laser-induced choroid neovascularization. This work establishes a strong foundation for genome editing as a strategy to treat angiogenesis-associated diseases.Abnormal angiogenesis causes many ocular diseases. Here the authors employ CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to silence VEGFR2, a major regulator of angiogenesis, in retinal endothelium and abrogate angiogenesis in the mouse models of oxygen-induced retinopathy and laser-induced choroid neovascularization.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Choroidal Neovascularization / genetics
  • Choroidal Neovascularization / prevention & control
  • Dependovirus / genetics
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Editing / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / genetics*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / prevention & control
  • Retinal Neovascularization / genetics
  • Retinal Neovascularization / prevention & control
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / genetics*

Substances

  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2