Targeting Inflammasome with stable endocannabinoid ligand AMG315: CRISPR/Cas9 and nanotechnology study in the context of HIV and cannabinoid. PROJECT SUMMARY (ABSTRACT): Although the use of cannabis for medical purposes has shown great promise for the treatment of certain medical conditions, cannabinoid abuse exerts significant impairments in neurocognitive and behavioral functions and these effects are exacerbated in patients with HIV infection. Studies suggest that even after HIV-1 suppressing combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), HIV-1 Tat is being produced in the brain from proviral DNA and implicated as a causative agent for latent infection and development of inflammasome mediated neuroinflammation in HIV infected patients. CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology has been shown by us and others to be effective for excising the HIV genome integrated into the host genome. Our preliminary studies using a recently discovered and potent metabolically stable endocannabinoid analog AMG315 demonstrate that this synthetic cannabinoid exerts anti-inflammatory properties by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome and HIV infection. Accordingly, we hypothesize that elimination of the HIV-1 Tat gene in CNS cells using Tat specific CRISPR/Cas9 and suppression of inflammasome with CB1-specific stable endocannabinoid analog AMG315 can eliminate active HIV infection/induce permanent latency and prevent neurodegeneration, respectively. However, AMG-315 and CRISPR are impenetrable to the brain in sufficient quantities necessary to prevent HIV-infection, inflammasome activation, and subsequent neurodegeneration. To overcome this, we will use our patented magneto-electric nanoparticles (MENP) technology and liposomes to deliver CRISPR/Cas9 and AMG315, and for on-demand controlled-release. For the sustained release and to protect CRISPR from lysosomal degradation, MENP-bound CRISPR and AMG315 will be encapsulated in liposomes. Accordingly, in Specific Aim # 1, we will develop, characterize, and evaluate the delivery of Tat-specific CRISPR Cas9/gRNA and AMG315 across the in vitro BBB using MENP-based drug delivery approach to excise HIV-1 Tat gene, and attenuate cannabinoid and Tat-induced inflammasome, respectively.
In Specific Aim # 2, we will study the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of MENP nanoformulation containing CRISPR, and AMG315 using doxycycline-inducible HIV-1 Tat transgenic mice (iTat) as an HIV/neuroAIDS and cannabinoid administration animal model.
In Specific Aim -3, we will validate the effects of these nanoformulations on neuronal plasticity and neurocognitive functions in vivo. Successful completion of this grant will have a translational significance in preventing HIV-1 Tat and cannabinoid-mediated neurodegeneration in HIV infected cannabinoid-abusing patients. This multidisciplinary new break-through concept targeting inflammasome in the brain with stable endocannabinoid ligand AMG315 and Tat specific CRISPR/Cas9 using MENP-based technology is in response to RFA-DA-20-026 and will be useful for the suppression of HIV replication, NLRP3 inflammasome activity and to treat cannabinoid-induced neuronal impairments in HIV infected cannabinoid abusers.
With the use of cART, even after the complete suppression of viral load in the peripheral system, active/latent HIV infection, neuroinflammation and associated neurocognitive impairments could not be eliminated in cannabinoid abusers due to the continuous production of HIV-1 Tat protein and inability of the drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier. In this study, we are using a novel gene-editing CRISPR/Cas9 technology targeting HIV-1 Tat gene in microglia in combination with a recently discovered (by Dr. Alexandros Makriyannis, co-PI of the grant) stable endocannabinoid analog AMG315 in both in vitro and in vivo iTat mice model employing our patented (US 20130317279 A1 and WO2014074584 A1) nanotechnology drug delivery approach. Successful delivery of the nanoformulation across the BBB will have a translational significance in the prevention of neurocognitive impairments in HIV positive cannabinoid-abusing patients.
