Antisense oligonucleotides enhance SLC20A2 expression and suppress brain calcification in a humanized mouse model

Abstract

Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC) is a genetic neurological disease, yet no effective treatment is currently available. Here, we identified five novel intronic variants in SLC20A2 gene from six PFBC families. Three of these variants increased aberrant SLC20A2 pre-mRNA splicing by altering the binding affinity of splicing machineries to newly characterized cryptic exons, ultimately causing premature termination of SLC20A2 translation. Inhibiting the cryptic-exon incorporation with splice-switching ASOs increased the expression levels of functional SLC20A2 in cells carrying SLC20A2 mutations. Moreover, by knocking in a humanized SLC20A2 intron 2 sequence carrying a PFBC-associated intronic variant, the SLC20A2-KI mice exhibited increased inorganic phosphate (Pi) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and progressive brain calcification. Intracerebroventricular administration of ASOs to these SLC20A2-KI mice reduced CSF Pi levels and suppressed brain calcification. Together, our findings expand the genetic etiology of PFBC and demonstrate ASO-mediated splice modulation as a potential therapy for PFBC patients with SLC20A2 haploinsufficiency.

Keywords: ASO; PFBC; PiT2; SLC20A2; antisense oligonucleotide; brain calcification; cryptic exon.