Generation and characterization of three CRISPR/Cas9 edited RB1 null hiPSC lines for retinoblastoma disease modelling

Abstract

Complete loss of RB1 causes retinoblastoma. Here, we report the generation of three RB1^-/- iPSC lines using CRISPR/Cas9 based editing at exon 18 of RB1 in a healthy control hiPSC line. The edited cells were clonally expanded, genotyped and characterized to establish the mutant lines. Two of the mutant lines are compound heterozygous, with different in-del mutations in each of their alleles, while the third mutant line is homozygous, with identical edits in both alleles. All lines maintained their stemness, pluripotency, formed embryoid bodies with cell types of all three lineages, displayed a normal karyotype and lost RB1 expression.