Genome Editing of CXCR4 by CRISPR/cas9 Confers Cells Resistant to HIV-1 Infection

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2015 Oct 21

PMID 26481100

Citations 114

Authors

Panpan Hou

Shuliang Chen

Shilei Wang

Xiao Yu

Yu Chen

Meng Jiang

Ke Zhuang

Wenzhe Ho

Wei Hou

Jian Huang

Deyin Guo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Genome editing via CRISPR/Cas9 has become an efficient and reliable way to make precise, targeted changes to the genome of living cells. CXCR4 is a co-receptor for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and has been considered as an important therapeutic target for AIDS. CXCR4 mediates viral entry into human CD4(+) cells by binding to envelope protein, gp120. Here, we show that human CXCR4 gene is efficiently disrupted by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, leading to HIV-1 resistance of human primary CD4(+) T cells. We also show that the Cas9-mediated ablation of CXCR4 demonstrated high specificity and negligible off-target effects without affecting cell division and propagation. The precise and efficient genome editing of CXCR4 will provide a new strategy for therapeutic application against HIV-1 infection.

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