Application of novel CRISPR tools in brain therapy

Abstract

In recent years, the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-based genome editing toolkit has been widely used to modify the genome sequence of organisms. As the CRISPR toolbox continues to grow and new CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins are discovered, its applications have expanded beyond conventional genome editing. This now encompass epigenetic editing, gene expression control, and various other functions. Notably, these advancements are finding practical application in the treatment of brain diseases. Furthermore, the amalgamation of CRISPR and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) technologies has emerged as a potential approach for disease treatment. With this in mind, this review commences by offering a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in CRISPR gene editing tools. This encompasses an exploration of various Cas proteins, gene expression control, epigenetic editing, base editing and primer editing. Additionally, we present an in-depth examination of the manifold applications of these innovative CRISPR tools in the realms of brain therapeutics, such as neurodegenerative diseases, neurological syndromes and genetic disorders, epileptic disorders, and brain tumors, also explore the pathogenesis of these diseases. This includes their utilization in modeling, gene screening, therapeutic gene editing, as well as their emerging synergy with CAR-T technology. Finally, we discuss the remaining technical challenges that need to be addressed for effective utilization of CRISPR tools in disease treatment.