A Whole Genome-Wide Arrayed CRISPR Screen in Primary Organ Fibroblasts to Identify Regulators of Kidney Fibrosis

Kidney fibrosis presents a hallmark of chronic kidney disease. With ever-increasing patient numbers and limited treatment options available, novel strategies for therapeutic intervention in kidney disease are warranted. Fibrosis commonly results from a wound healing response to repeated or chronic tissue damage, irrespective of the underlying etiology, and can occur in virtually any solid organ or tissue. In order to identify targets relevant for kidney fibrosis, we aimed to employ CRISPR screening in primary human kidney fibroblasts. We demonstrate that CRISPR technology can be applied in primary kidney fibroblasts and can furthermore be used to conduct arrayed CRISPR screening using a high-content imaging readout in a whole genome-wide manner. Hits coming out of this screen were validated using orthogonal approaches and present starting points for validation of novel targets relevant to kidney disease.