CRISPR-mediated direct mutation of cancer genes in the mouse liver

The study of cancer genes in mouse models has traditionally relied on genetically-engineered strains made via transgenesis or gene targeting in embryonic stem cells¹. Here we describe a new method of cancermodel generation using the CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins) system in vivo in wild-type mice. We used hydrodynamic injection to deliver a CRISPR plasmid DNA expressing Cas9 and single guide RNAs (sgRNAs)^2-4 to the liver that directly target the tumour suppressor genesPten (ref. 5) and p53 (also known asTP53 and Trp53) (ref. 6), alone and in combination. CRISPR-mediated Pten mutation led to elevated Akt phosphorylation and lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, phenocopying the effects of deletion of the gene using Cre-LoxP technology^7,8. Simultaneous targeting of Pten and p53 induced liver tumours that mimicked those caused by Cre-lox Pmediated deletion of Pten and p53. DNA sequencing of liver and tumour tissue revealed insertion or deletionmutationsof the tumour suppressor genes, including bi-allelicmutationsof bothPten andp53 in tumours. Furthermore, co-injection of Cas9 plasmids harbouring sgRNAs targeting the β-catenin gene and a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide donor carrying activating point mutations led to the generation of hepatocytes with nuclear localization of β-catenin. This study demonstrates the feasibility of direct mutation oftumour suppressor genes and oncogenes in the liver using the CRISPR/Cas system, which presents a new avenue for rapid development of liver cancer models and functional genomics.