Cell specific gene silencing of lipid-siRNA conjugates in the mouse central nervous system (CNS)

We developed a lipid-siRNA conjugate, termed EG18, that potentiates prolonged gene silencing throughout the CNS after injection into CSF. To help inform viable therapeutic targets, we used scRNAseq to determine cell-specific gene silencing. Here, we used an siRNA sequencing targeting Ppib and inject 15 nmol of either Ppib-EG18 or a non-targeting control (NTC)-EG18 into the lateral ventricles of adult mice. After 1 month, brains were dissociated into single cells and bead-sorted into Cd11b+ and Cd11b- populations. The Cd11b+ dataset contains microglia and macrophages, while the Cd11b- sample comprised a sampling of other isolated perivascular and parenchymal populations. scRNAseq revealed gene silencing activity across diverse cell populations in the parenchyma and at brain borders, which may provide new avenues for disease-modifying therapies.