Lipid nanoparticle formulation for gene editing and RNA-based therapies for glioblastoma
Yanhong Zhang, Rosalia Rabinovsky, Evgeny Deforzh, Ami Kobayashi, Anastasia Kuzkina, Johnna F. Varghese, Damita Rai, Joanna A. Korecka, Vikram Khurana, Gopal Murugaiyan, David Morrissey, Erik J. Uhlmann, Anna M. Krichevsky
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM), one of the deadliest cancers, resists current therapies, with drug development hindered by its high heterogeneity. However, GBM consistently relies on microRNA-10b (miR-10b), a key driver of glioma growth and a promising therapeutic target. miR-10b gene editing represents a potential treatment, but effective delivery strategies for gene editing systems in GBM remain unexplored. METHODS: We developed lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) encapsulating Cas9 mRNA and a miR-10b-targeting sgRNA (termed miRTEN). miRTEN was tested in glioma stem cells (GSCs) and orthotopic GBM models to assess therapeutic efficacy, immune responses, and safety. RESULTS: Intracerebroventricular injections of miRTEN enabled broad and durable Cas9 mRNA expression and miR-10b gene editing in tumor core and invasive areas across diverse GBM models. miRTEN significantly suppressed tumor growth, reduced GSC proliferation and viability, with therapeutic outcomes correlating with dose-dependent miR-10b suppression. Combining miRTEN with temozolomide (TMZ) further enhanced tumor suppression, overcoming TMZ resistance and improving survival. In immunocompetent models, miRTEN activated antitumor immune responses, increased cytotoxic CD8+ T cells infiltration, and promoted durable immune memory, enabling tumor rejection upon rechallenge. Safety assessments demonstrated that miRTEN selectively targets GBM cells, sparing normal brain tissues and causing no significant off-target toxicity. CONCLUSION: As in vivo CRISPR-based drugs advance toward clinical applications, our findings demonstrate the potential of LNPs-mediated CRISPR-Cas9 systems for targeted miR-10b editing and, more generally, gene editing and RNA therapies for GBM. miRTEN monotherapy, as well as its combination with standard care, offers a promising, safe, and effective approach to improving outcomes in GBM.