Sono-Controllable and ROS-Sensitive CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing for Augmented/Synergistic Ultrasound Tumor Nanotherapy

Abstract

The potential of the cluster regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9)-based therapeutic genome editing is severely hampered by the difficulties in precise regulation of the in vivo activity of the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Herein, sono-controllable and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive sonosensitizer-integrated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), denoted as P/M@CasMTH1, are developed for augmented sonodynamic therapy (SDT) efficacy using the genome-editing technology. P/M@CasMTH1 nanoparticles comprise singlet oxygen (¹ O₂ )-generating MOF structures anchored with CRISPR-Cas9 systems via ¹ O₂ -cleavable linkers, which serve not only as a delivery vector of CRISPR-Cas9 targeting MTH1, but also as a sonoregulator to spatiotemporally activate the genome editing. P/M@CasMTH1 escapes from the lysosomes, harvests the ultrasound (US) energy and converts it into abundant ¹ O₂ to induce SDT. The generated ROS subsequently trigger cleavage of ROS-responsive thioether bonds, thus inducing controllable release of the CRISPR-Cas9 system and initiation of genome editing. The genomic disruption of MTH1 conspicuously augments the therapeutic efficacy of SDT by destroying the self-defense system in tumor cells, thereby causing cellular apoptosis and tumor suppression. This therapeutic strategy for synergistic MTH1 disruption and abundant ¹ O₂ generation provides a paradigm for augmenting SDT efficacy based on the emerging nanomedicine-enabled genome-editing technology.

Keywords: ROS responsive; genomic editing; metal-organic frameworks; sonodynamic therapy; tumor therapy.