Assessment the Efficacy of the CRISPR System for Inducing Mutations in the AIMP2 Gene to Create a Cell Line Model of HLD17 Disease.

Abstract

Hypomyelinating leukodystrophy-17 is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the AIMP2 gene, resulting in a lack of myelin deposition during brain development, leading to variable neurological symptoms. Research on brain function in these disorders is challenging due to the lack of access to brain tissue. To overcome this problem, researchers have utilized different cell and animal models. The CRISPR-Cas9 system is considered the most optimal and effective method for genetic modification and developing cell models. We studied the efficacy of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology in inducing mutations in the AIMP2 gene in HEK293 cell lines. The study involved transfecting HEK293 cells with recombinant PX458 plasmids targeting spCas-9 and AIMP2 sgRNA. The cells were evaluated using fluorescent microscopy and enriched using serial dilution. The CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids were validated through PCR and Sanger sequencing. After serial dilution, AS-PCR, Sanger sequencing, and TIDE program analysis showed the construct successfully induces an indel mutation in HEK cells. Our findings demonstrated the great efficacy of the CRISPR system and produced a construct for inducing mutations in the AIMP2 gene, which can be utilized to edit the AIMP2 gene in nerve cells and create a cellular model of the HLD17 disease.