Ding Qianqian, Gan Peiheng, Xu Zhisheng, Li Hui, Guo Lei, MacDonald Camryn, Tan Wei, Sanchez-Ortiz Efrain, McAnally John R, Zhang Yu, Karri Dileep, Xu Lin, Liu Ning, Olson Eric N
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Circulation. 2025 May 16. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.074218.
Vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs), the predominant cell type in the aortic wall, play a crucial role in maintaining aortic integrity, blood pressure, and cardiovascular function. vSMC contractility and function depend on smooth muscle alpha-actin 2 (). The pathogenic variant (p. R179H) causes multisystemic smooth muscle dysfunction syndrome (MSMDS), a severe disorder marked by widespread smooth muscle abnormalities, resulting in life-threatening aortic disease and high-risk early mortality from aneurysms or stroke. No effective treatments exist for MSMDS. To develop a comprehensive therapy for MSMDS, we utilized CRISPR-Cas9 adenine base editing to correct the R179H mutation. We generated isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines and humanized mice carrying this pathogenic missense mutation. iPSC-SMCs were evaluated for key functional characteristics, including proliferation, migration, and contractility. The adenine base editor (ABE) ABE8e-SpCas9-VRQR under control of either a SMC-specific promoter or a CMV promoter, and an optimized single guide RNA (sgRNA) under control of U6 promoter were delivered intravenously to humanized R179H mice using adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) and phenotypic outcomes were evaluated. The R179H mutation causes a dramatic phenotypic switch in human iPSC-SMCs from a contractile to a synthetic state, a transition associated with aneurysm formation. Base editing prevented this pathogenic phenotypic switch and restored normal SMC function. In humanized mice, the ACTA2 mutation caused widespread smooth muscle dysfunction, manifesting as decreased blood pressure, aortic dilation and dissection, bladder enlargement, gut dilation, and hydronephrosis. In vivo base editing rescued these pathological abnormalities, normalizing smooth muscle function. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of adenine base editing to treat MSMDS and restore aortic smooth muscle function. By correcting the R179H mutation, the pathogenic phenotypic shift in SMCs was prevented, key aortic smooth muscle functions were restored, and life-threatening aortic dilation and dissection were mitigated in humanized mice. These findings underscore the promise of gene-editing therapies in addressing the underlying genetic causes of smooth muscle disorders and offer a potential transformative treatment for patients facing severe vascular complications.
血管平滑肌细胞(vSMCs)是主动脉壁中的主要细胞类型,在维持主动脉完整性、血压和心血管功能方面发挥着关键作用。vSMC的收缩性和功能依赖于平滑肌α-肌动蛋白2()。致病变体(p.R179H)导致多系统平滑肌功能障碍综合征(MSMDS),这是一种以广泛的平滑肌异常为特征的严重疾病,可导致危及生命的主动脉疾病以及因动脉瘤或中风导致的高风险早期死亡。目前尚无针对MSMDS的有效治疗方法。为了开发针对MSMDS的综合治疗方法,我们利用CRISPR-Cas9腺嘌呤碱基编辑来纠正R179H突变。我们生成了携带这种致病性错义突变的同基因人类诱导多能干细胞(iPSC)系和人源化小鼠。对iPSC-SMCs的关键功能特性进行了评估,包括增殖、迁移和收缩性。使用腺相关病毒血清型9(AAV9)将受平滑肌特异性启动子或CMV启动子控制的腺嘌呤碱基编辑器(ABE)ABE8e-SpCas9-VRQR以及受U6启动子控制的优化单导向RNA(sgRNA)静脉注射到人源化R179H小鼠体内,并评估表型结果。R179H突变导致人类iPSC-SMCs从收缩状态向合成状态发生显著的表型转变,这种转变与动脉瘤形成有关。碱基编辑阻止了这种致病性表型转变并恢复了正常的SMC功能。在人源化小鼠中,ACTA2突变导致广泛的平滑肌功能障碍,表现为血压降低、主动脉扩张和夹层、膀胱增大、肠道扩张和肾积水。体内碱基编辑挽救了这些病理异常,使平滑肌功能正常化。这项研究证明了腺嘌呤碱基编辑治疗MSMDS并恢复主动脉平滑肌功能的有效性。通过纠正R179H突变,预防了SMCs中的致病性表型转变,恢复了关键的主动脉平滑肌功能,并减轻了人源化小鼠中危及生命的主动脉扩张和夹层。这些发现强调了基因编辑疗法在解决平滑肌疾病潜在遗传原因方面的前景,并为面临严重血管并发症的患者提供了一种潜在的变革性治疗方法。
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