Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9

Abstract CRISPR-Cas9 is now the leading method for genome editing and is advancing for the treatment of human disease. CRIPSR has promise in treating neurological diseases, but traditional viral-vector-delivery approaches have neurotoxicity limiting their use. Here we describe a simple method for no...

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Main Authors: Seph M. Palomino, Katherin A. Gabriel, Juliet M. Mwirigi, Anna Cervantes, Peter Horton, Geoffrey Funk, Aubin Moutal, Laurent F. Martin, Rajesh Khanna, Theodore J. Price, Amol Patwardhan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91153-2
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author Seph M. Palomino
Katherin A. Gabriel
Juliet M. Mwirigi
Anna Cervantes
Peter Horton
Geoffrey Funk
Aubin Moutal
Laurent F. Martin
Rajesh Khanna
Theodore J. Price
Amol Patwardhan
author_facet Seph M. Palomino
Katherin A. Gabriel
Juliet M. Mwirigi
Anna Cervantes
Peter Horton
Geoffrey Funk
Aubin Moutal
Laurent F. Martin
Rajesh Khanna
Theodore J. Price
Amol Patwardhan
author_sort Seph M. Palomino
collection DOAJ
description Abstract CRISPR-Cas9 is now the leading method for genome editing and is advancing for the treatment of human disease. CRIPSR has promise in treating neurological diseases, but traditional viral-vector-delivery approaches have neurotoxicity limiting their use. Here we describe a simple method for non-viral transfection of primary human DRG (hDRG) neurons for CRISPR-Cas9 editing. We edited TRPV1, NTSR2, and CACNA1E using a lipofection method with CRISPR-Cas9 plasmids containing reporter tags (GFP or mCherry). Transfection was successfully demonstrated by the expression of the reporters two days post-administration. CRISPR-Cas9 editing was confirmed at the genome level with a T7-endonuclease-I assay; protein level with immunocytochemistry and Western blot; and functional level through capsaicin-induced Ca2+ accumulation in a high-throughput compatible fluorescent imaging plate reader (FLIPR) system. This work establishes a reliable, target specific, non-viral CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genetic editing in primary human neurons with potential for future clinical application for sensory diseases.
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spelling doaj-art-26c3298eaff343a7acae9e8d2c153a332025-08-20T03:07:41ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-91153-2Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9Seph M. Palomino0Katherin A. Gabriel1Juliet M. Mwirigi2Anna Cervantes3Peter Horton4Geoffrey Funk5Aubin Moutal6Laurent F. Martin7Rajesh Khanna8Theodore J. Price9Amol Patwardhan10Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at DallasDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at DallasSouthwest Transplant AllianceSouthwest Transplant AllianceSouthwest Transplant AllianceDepartment of Pharmacology and Physiology, Saint Louis UniversityDepartment of Pharmacology, University of ArizonaDepartment of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of FloridaDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at DallasDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterAbstract CRISPR-Cas9 is now the leading method for genome editing and is advancing for the treatment of human disease. CRIPSR has promise in treating neurological diseases, but traditional viral-vector-delivery approaches have neurotoxicity limiting their use. Here we describe a simple method for non-viral transfection of primary human DRG (hDRG) neurons for CRISPR-Cas9 editing. We edited TRPV1, NTSR2, and CACNA1E using a lipofection method with CRISPR-Cas9 plasmids containing reporter tags (GFP or mCherry). Transfection was successfully demonstrated by the expression of the reporters two days post-administration. CRISPR-Cas9 editing was confirmed at the genome level with a T7-endonuclease-I assay; protein level with immunocytochemistry and Western blot; and functional level through capsaicin-induced Ca2+ accumulation in a high-throughput compatible fluorescent imaging plate reader (FLIPR) system. This work establishes a reliable, target specific, non-viral CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genetic editing in primary human neurons with potential for future clinical application for sensory diseases.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91153-2
spellingShingle Seph M. Palomino
Katherin A. Gabriel
Juliet M. Mwirigi
Anna Cervantes
Peter Horton
Geoffrey Funk
Aubin Moutal
Laurent F. Martin
Rajesh Khanna
Theodore J. Price
Amol Patwardhan
Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9
Scientific Reports
title Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9
title_full Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9
title_fullStr Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9
title_full_unstemmed Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9
title_short Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9
title_sort genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using crispr cas9
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91153-2
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