CRISPR/CasRx suppresses KRAS-induced brain arteriovenous malformation developed in postnatal brain endothelial cells in mice

Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) are anomalies forming vascular tangles connecting the arteries and veins, which cause hemorrhagic stroke in young adults. Current surgical approaches are highly invasive, and alternative therapeutic methods are warranted. Recent genetic studies identified KRAS mutations in endothelial cells of bAVMs; however, the underlying process leading to malformation in the postnatal stage remains unknown. Here we established a mouse model of bAVM developing during the early postnatal stage. Among 4 methods tested, mutant KRAS specifically introduced in brain endothelial cells by brain endothelial cell-directed adeno-associated virus (AAV) and endothelial cell-specific Cdh5-CreERT2 mice successfully induced bAVMs in the postnatal period. Mutant KRAS led to the development of multiple vascular tangles and hemorrhage in the brain with increased MAPK/ERK signaling and growth in endothelial cells. Three-dimensional analyses in cleared tissue revealed dilated vascular networks connecting arteries and veins, similar to human bAVMs. Single-cell RNA-Seq revealed dysregulated gene expressions in endothelial cells and multiple cell types involved in the pathological process. Finally, we employed CRISPR/CasRx to knock down mutant KRAS expression, which efficiently suppressed bAVM development. The present model reveals pathological processes that lead to postnatal bAVMs and demonstrates the efficacy of therapeutic strategies with CRISPR/CasRx.