The use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology for targeted gene therapy in Parkinson’s disease focusing on LRRK2 and SNCA genes

The use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology for targeted gene therapy in Parkinson's disease focusing on LRRK2 and SNCA genes.

Author: Anya Maryala, Indus International School.

Research question: How can CRISPR-Cas9 technology be used to target genetic mutations in the LRRK2 and SNCA genes, and what potential does this have for halting or reversing the progression of Parkinson's disease?

Choice of topic:

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to the start of motor and non-motor symptoms. These include bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, and postural instability, alongside cognitive impairments, mood disorders, and autonomic dysfunctions. The hallmark of PD is the accumulation of α-synuclein protein aggregates, forming Lewy bodies within the neurons. Given the numerous causes of Parkinson’s, involving genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, therapeutic treatments are hard to come by. Traditional pharmacological treatments, such as levodopa and dopamine agonists, primarily offer symptomatic relief and are associated with diminishing efficacy over time. Therefore, there is a need for new therapeutic approaches that target the disease at its roots.

CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) technology, with the RNA-guided Cas9 endonuclease enables precise, targeted modifications at the genomic level. This technology offers potential for terminating the genetic factors causing parkinsons and aid in developing gene-based therapies. By attempting to  regulate gene expression, CRISPR holds promise for addressing the fundamental causes of neurodegeneration in Parkinsons.

One of the key genetic targets in PD is the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene, where specific gain-of-function mutations, such as G2019S, lead to hyperactivation of its kinase activity, contributing to neurotoxicity. CRISPR-Cas9 can be employed to introduce precise double-strand breaks at the mutation site, followed by homology-directed repair (HDR) to restore the wild-type sequence, thereby normalizing LRRK2 function and preventing neuronal death. Similarly, CRISPR technology can target the SNCA gene, which encodes α-synuclein. Pathogenic duplicates or triplicates of SNCA result in overproduction of α-synuclein and subsequent aggregation. Utilizing CRISPR to disrupt these extra copies can reduce α-synuclein levels, alleviating its toxic effects.CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) and interference (CRISPRi) systems enable fine-tuned upregulation or downregulation of gene expression, offering strategies to increase the expression of neuroprotective factors or suppress the expression of deleterious genes.