A Method to Fluorescently Label the CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA RNP Complexes Enables Enrichment of Clinical-Grade Gene-Edited Primary Hematopoietic Stem Cells and iPSCs

Although proven to be an excellent method for gene editing, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated technology still has some limitations for the applications in primary hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells (HSPCs) as well as in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Delivery of Cas9 protein in a form of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) in a complex with guide RNA (gRNA) provides a DNA free methodology, but a big hinderance of this application is that it is not possible to sort and enrich gene edited cells for further applications.

Here we report the establishment of a new protocol of fluorescent labeling of the Cas9/gRNA ribonucleoprotein complex (CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA RNP). We designed crRNA for exon 1 of GADD45b gene, annealed this crRNA with transactivating crRNA (tracrRNA) to form gRNA and covalently introduced one fluorchrome agent (CX-rhodamine or fluorescein) per approximately every 20 nucleotides. HEK293FT cells, Jurkat T-ALL cell line, bone marrow CD34⁺ HSPCs, and iPSCs were transfected with fluorescently-labeled GADD45b CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA RNP by means of cathionic polymer based transfection reagent for HEK293FT cells and Lonza 4D nucleofection for Jurkat T-ALL cell line, CD34⁺ HSPCs, and iPSCs. We detected CX-rhodamine- or fluorescein intracellular signals 12 hours after transfection that disappeared approximately 48 hours post transfection. Transfection efficiency varied between 40 % and 80 %, depending on the cell type. Labeling did not affect integrity of crRNA/tracRNA duplex formation, gene editing efficiency and off-target activities of CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA RNP, as assessed by Sanger sequencing and TIDE assay of transfected HEK293FT cells, Jurkat cells, CD34+ HSPCs and human iPSCs. Using fluorescein- or CX-rhodamine signal of labeled CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA RNP, we sorted and enriched gene-edited cells. Gene modification efficiency in sorted cells was between 40 and 70 %, based on the cell type. Of note, we detected much lower transfection and editing efficiency of the fused Cas9-EGFP protein assembled with GADD45b targeting gRNA, as compared to CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA RNP. Most probably, conjugation of EGFP tag is affecting functions of CRISPR/Cas9- gRNA RNP.

GADD45b (Growth Arrest And DNA Damage Inducible Beta), also termed myeloid differentiation primary response 118 gene (MyD118), belongs to a family of evolutionarily conserved GADD45 proteins (GADD45a, GADD45b and GADD45g) that function as stress sensors regulating cell cycle, survival and apoptosis in response to stress stimulus as ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA damage and genotoxic stress. We further performed functional studies of the effect of GADD45b knockout on cell growth and sensitivity to UV-induced DNA damage. Remarkably, we detected severe diminished viability of GADD45b-deficient HEK293FT, Jurkat cells, iPSCs and CD34⁺ HSPCs as compared to control transfected cells. We also found markedly elevated susceptibility of GADD45b-deficient Jurkat cells, CD34⁺ HSPCs and iPSCs to UV induced DNA damage, as documented by elevated levels of γH2AX (pSer139). Based on these observations, we conclude that GADD45b knockout using transfection of cells with labeled GADD45b-targeting CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA RNP led to increased susceptibility to DNA damage. Moreover, GADD45b deficient iPSCs retained pluripotency, but they failed to differentiate to mature neutrophils in embryoid body (EB)-based culture.

Taken together, this is the first report describing transfection and sorting of primary hematopoietic cells and iPSCs using fluorescently-labeled CRISPR/Cas9-RNP, which is simple, safe and efficient method, and therefore may strongly expand the therapeutic avenues for gene-edited cells.