Open AccessCRISPR/Cas9-loaded stealth liposomes effectively cleared established HPV16-driven tumours in syngeneic mice
Author(s) -
Luqman Jubair,
Alfred KingYin Lam,
Sora Fallaha,
Nigel A.J. McMillan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0223288
Subject(s) - crispr , cancer research , clearance , cas9 , cancer , genetic enhancement , in vivo , bystander effect , immune system , immunogenic cell death , biology , programmed cell death , oncogene , medicine , immunology , immunotherapy , gene , apoptosis , cell cycle , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , urology , genetics
Gene-editing has raised the possibility of being able to treat or cure cancers, but key challenges remain, including efficient delivery, in vivo efficacy, and its safety profile. Ideal targets for cancer therapy are oncogenes, that when edited, cause cell death. Here, we show, using the human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 cancer cell line TC1, that CRISPR/Cas9 targeting the E7 oncogene and packaged in PEGylated liposomes cleared established tumours in immunocompetent mice. Treatment caused no significant toxicity in the spleen or liver. An ideal therapeutic outcome would be the induction of an immunogenic cell death (ICD), such that recurrent tumours would be eliminated by the host immune system. We show here for the first time that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated cell death via targeting E7 did not result in ICD. Overall, our data show that in vivo CRISPR/Cas targeting of oncogenes is an effective treatment approach for cancer.