Spatially concentrated adenine base editors efficiently correct <i>PLP1</i> mutations in oligodendrocytes

Oligodendrocytes (OLs), the myelinating cells of the central nervous system, are particularly prone to pathogenic G-to-A mutations, such as PLP1A243V, which causes Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), a lethal hypomyelinating disorder lacking effective therapy. Although adenine base editors (ABEs) can in principle correct such mutations, their application in OLs is limited by inefficient on-target editing. Here, we develop a spatially concentrated ABE (cABE) strategy that enhances editing by promoting nuclear translocation of tRNA adenosine deaminase (TadA*) from the cytoplasm. Using a SunTag-based multivalent recruitment system, TadA* is locally enriched at genomic targets (cABE-1.0), achieving robust editing in vitro. To enable in vivo delivery while preserving high efficiency and fidelity, SpCas9 is replaced with compact eNme2-C Cas9, generating an AAV-compatible variant (cABE-2.0). Notably, cABE-2.0 forms dynamic nuclear puncta with properties of liquid-liquid phase separation, enhancing on-target editing while substantially reducing transcriptome-wide RNA off-target effects. Functionally, cABE-2.0 efficiently corrects the PLP1A243V mutation in OLs, restores Plp subcellular localization, and rescues myelination-related phenotypes. These findings demonstrate that spatial reorganization, rather than increasing intrinsic catalytic activity of TadA*, provides a distinct principle for improving base editing in difficult-to-edit cell types, such as OLs, offering a mechanistic and technical framework for gene therapy of PMD and related myelin disorders.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nucleic Acids Research
Published
2026-02-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkag156
Primary Topic
RNA regulation and disease
Type
article
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article

Spatially concentrated adenine base editors efficiently correct PLP1 mutations in oligodendrocytes

Feilong Meng, Cuiping Yang, Jing Zhang, Aibin Liang et al.
Nucleic Acids Research
RNA regulation and disease
article

Spatially concentrated adenine base editors efficiently correct PLP1 mutations in oligodendrocytes

Feilong Meng, Cuiping Yang, Jing Zhang, Aibin Liang, Yafang Shang, Yixuan Song, Mingliang Zhang, Xinyue Jiang, Chi Zhang, Pingping Li, Ke Ye
article en

Abstract

Oligodendrocytes (OLs), the myelinating cells of the central nervous system, are particularly prone to pathogenic G-to-A mutations, such as PLP1A243V, which causes Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), a lethal hypomyelinating disorder lacking effective therapy. Although adenine base editors (ABEs) can in principle correct such mutations, their application in OLs is limited by inefficient on-target editing. Here, we develop a spatially concentrated ABE (cABE) strategy that enhances editing by promoting nuclear translocation of tRNA adenosine deaminase (TadA*) from the cytoplasm. Using a SunTag-based multivalent recruitment system, TadA* is locally enriched at genomic targets (cABE-1.0), achieving robust editing in vitro. To enable in vivo delivery while preserving high efficiency and fidelity, SpCas9 is replaced with compact eNme2-C Cas9, generating an AAV-compatible variant (cABE-2.0). Notably, cABE-2.0 forms dynamic nuclear puncta with properties of liquid-liquid phase separation, enhancing on-target editing while substantially reducing transcriptome-wide RNA off-target effects. Functionally, cABE-2.0 efficiently corrects the PLP1A243V mutation in OLs, restores Plp subcellular localization, and rescues myelination-related phenotypes. These findings demonstrate that spatial reorganization, rather than increasing intrinsic catalytic activity of TadA*, provides a distinct principle for improving base editing in difficult-to-edit cell types, such as OLs, offering a mechanistic and technical framework for gene therapy of PMD and related myelin disorders.

Nucleic Acids ResearchVol. 54(5)
Tongji University (CN), Zunyi Medical University (CN), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN), Ningxia University (CN), International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital (CN), Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science (CN), Ningxia Medical University (CN), Tongji Hospital (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 43%
RNA regulation and disease
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