Efficient generation of isogenic primary human myeloid cells using CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins

SUMMARY Genome engineering of primary human cells with CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized experimental and therapeutic approaches to cell biology, but human myeloid-lineage cells have remained largely genetically intractable. We present a method for the delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes by nucleofection directly into CD14+ human monocytes purified from peripheral blood, leading to high rates of precise gene knockout. These cells can be efficiently differentiated into monocyte-derived macrophages or dendritic cells. This process yields genetically edited cells that retain transcript and protein markers of myeloid differentiation and phagocytic function. Genetic ablation of the restriction factor SAMHD1 increased HIV-1 infection >50-fold, demonstrating the power of this system for genotype-phenotype interrogation. This fast, flexible, and scalable platform can be used for genetic studies of human myeloid cells in immune signaling, inflammation, cancer immunology, host-pathogen interactions, and beyond, and could facilitate the development of myeloid cellular therapies.
In brief Hiatt et al. report a method for genome editing in primary human monocytes using CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins (RNPs). These cells can be differentiated into macrophages or dendritic cells for downstream phenotypic assays. They demonstrate the value for functional host-pathogen studies through knockout of the HIV-1 restriction factor SAMHD1.
Graphical Abstract