GSE176012

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Summary

Endogenous double-stranded RNA is prevented from activating the cytosolic antiviral receptor MDA5 by adenosine-to-inosine editing by ADAR. Consequently, CRISPR/cas9 targeting ADAR in the human monocytic cell line THP-1 induces a spontaneous MDA5-dependent interferon response. This response is synergistically enhanced by concomitant CRISPR/cas9 targeting of hnRNPC. For this study, cas9 transgenic THP-1 were nucleofected with combinations of control gRNA, ADAR gRNA or hnRNPC gRNA to elucidate the basis for synergistic interferon-stmulated gene induction by combined ADAR and hnRNPC targeting. As a control for interferon-stimulated gene induction, IFN-alpha treated THP-1 were included, as well. To investigate potential interferon inducing mechanisms, we quantified gene expression, intron expression as well as the expression of regions rich in adenosine-to-inosine editing clusters. In a second part, nuclear vs cytosolic distribution of RNA rich in adenosine-to-inosine clusters was investigated by sequencing of total RNA or RNA from cytosolic and nuclear extracts of ADAR and/or hnRNPC targeted cells. In the first part of the study, STING-deficient, cas9 transgenic THP-1 were nucleofected with combinations of control, GFP-targeting, ADAR-targeting or hnRNPC-targeting gRNA and cells collected for total RNA extraction on days three, four and five after nucleofection. In addition, another control-nucleofected sample was treated on day 3 for 24 h. The experiment was repeated three times leading to three replicates per condition. In the second part, WT cas9-transgenic THP-1 were nucleofected with combinations of control, ADAR-targeting or hnRNPC-targeting gRNA and cells were either collected for total RNA extraction or separated into digitonin-soluble (cytosolic) and digitonin-resistant (nuclear and mitochondrial) compartments and then RNA extracted. The experiment was repeated twice leading to two replicates per condition. Differential gene expression analysis confirmed synergistic induction of interferon-stimulated genes. RNA-seq analysis demonstrated dysregulation of Alu-containing introns in hnRNPC-deficient cells via utilization of unmasked cryptic splice sites, including introns containing ADAR-dependent A-to-I editing clusters or regions enriched in editing clusters (ECRs) in general. These putative MDA5 ligands showed reduced editing in the absence of ADAR, providing a plausible mechanism for the combined effects of hnRNPC and ADAR. Part 2 of the study confirmed cytosolic access of a subset of ECRs to the cytosol.