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Development of methods for RNA interference in the sheep gastrointestinal parasite, Trichostrongylus colubriformis.

The efficiency of RNA interference (RNAi) delivery to L1 through L3 stage worms of the sheep parasitic nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis was investigated using several techniques. These were: (i) feeding of Escherichia coli expressing double stranded RNA (dsRNA); (ii) soaking of short interfering (synthetic) RNA oligonucleotides (siRNA) or in vitro transcribed dsRNA molecules; and (iii) electroporation of siRNA or in vitro transcribed dsRNA molecules. Ubiquitin and tropomyosin were used as a target gene because they are well conserved genes whose DNA sequences are available for several nematode parasite species. Ubiquitin siRNA or dsRNA delivered by soaking or electroporation inhibited development in T. colubriformis but with feeding as a delivery method, RNAi of ubiquitin was not successful. Feeding was, however, successful with tropomyosin as a target, suggesting that mode of delivery is an important parameter of RNAi. Electroporation is a particularly efficient means of inducing RNA in nematodes with either short dsRNA oligonucleotides or with long in vitro transcribed dsRNA molecules. These methods permit routine delivery of dsRNA for RNAi in T. colubriformis larval stage parasites and should be applicable to moderate to high-throughput screening.

Animals↗

[Effect of small interference RNA on E6, E7 mRNA of human papillomavirus type-18 in cervical cancer cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of small interference RNA on E6, E7 mRNA of human papillomavirus type-18 (HPV18) in cervical cancer cells. METHODS: The specific HPV18E6 and E7 siRNA synthesized by in virtro transcription. The cell activity was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay to determine the most suitable concentration, then cells were transfected into HPV18 cervical cancer cells by oligofectamine. HPV18E6, E7 mRNA level was examined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and the cell cycles were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The activity of the HeLa cells had an obvious suppression after transfection to 0.57 +/- 0.05 and 0.62 +/- 0.04 compared with the contrast of 0.87 +/- 0.05. The expression of HPV18E6 mRNA level was 0.63 +/- 0.04 before transfection, decreased to 0.53 +/- 0.04, 0.46 +/- 0.02, 0.56 +/- 0.03 evidently after transfection at 24, 48, 72 hours. The expression of HPV18E7 mRNA level was 0.66 +/- 0.03 before transfection and decreased to 0.60 +/- 0.05, 0.52 +/- 0.04, 0.59 +/- 0.02 after transfection at 24, 48, 72 hours. The number of cells in G(2) phase was increased after HPV18E6 siRNA transfection from (1.4 +/- 1.2)% to (66.9 +/- 3.5)%, S phase was declined from (39.4 +/- 0.4)% to (0 +/- 5.5)%, and they were (47.2 +/- 0.5)% and (5.6 +/- 4.2)% in E7 group. CONCLUSION: RNAi exists in HeLa cells, and its effect has specificity.

Apoptosis↗

Overexpression of exportin 5 enhances RNA interference mediated by short hairpin RNAs and microRNAs.

Plasmids or viral vectors that express short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) have emerged as important tools for the stable inhibition of specific genes by RNA interference. shRNAs are structural and functional homologs of pre-microRNAs, intermediates in the production of endogenously encoded microRNAs (miRNAs). Therefore, overexpressed shRNAs could inhibit miRNA function by competing for a limiting level of one or more factors involved in miRNA biogenesis or function. Here, we demonstrate that overexpressed shRNAs can saturate the activity of endogenous Exportin 5, a factor required for nuclear export of both shRNAs and pre-miRNAs. While shRNA overexpression can therefore inhibit miRNA function, simultaneous overexpression of Exportin 5 reverses this effect. Moreover, Exportin 5 overexpression can significantly enhance RNA interference mediated by shRNAs. These data have implications for the future clinical utilization of shRNAs and also provide a simple method to enhance RNA interference by shRNAs in culture.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

Strand-specific silencing of a picornavirus by RNA interference: evidence for the superiority of plus-strand specific siRNAs.

RNA interference triggered by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can be used to effectively contain viral spread. Here, we report on the mechanism of action of siRNAs targeting the medically important coxsackievirus B3 (CVB-3) as a typical representative of viruses with a non-segmented RNA genome in positive-strand orientation. Antiviral siRNAs can be designed to target the genomic (+)-strand, the (-)-strand that occurs as a replication intermediate, or both. In the present study, two complementary and systematic approaches are presented providing direct evidence that silencing of the viral (+)-strand is the key to inhibit CVB-3: first, we used rational siRNA design to direct silencing activity specifically against either of the two viral strands. As a second approach, we employed siRNA containing modified nucleotides to render them specific for one of the virus RNAs. Experiments with infectious coxsackievirus revealed that the inhibitory efficiency correlates exclusively with the activity of the siRNAs directed against the viral (+)-strand. Our finding that only (+)-strand specific siRNAs exert significant antiviral potency may hold true for other RNA viruses with (+)-stranded genomes as well and may therefore be helpful in the development of efficient strategies to inhibit virus propagation.

Animals↗

Inhibition of Bcl-2 expression by a novel tumor-specific RNA interference system increases chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil in Hela cells.

AIM: RNA interference (RNAi) has been proposed as a potential treatment for cancer, but the lack of cellular targets limits its use in cancer gene therapy. No current technology has achieved direct tumor-specific gene silencing using RNAi. In the present study we attempt to develop a tumor-specific RNAi system using the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter; furthermore, we analyzed its inhibitive effect on Bcl-2 expression. METHODS: The vectors containing a small hairpin RNA (shRNA) to target exogenous reporters [firefly luciferase and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)] and endogenous gene (Bcl-2) were constructed. Luciferase expression was determined by dual luciferase assay. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) were used to measure EGFP expression. Inhibition of Bcl-2 was evaluated by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Cell proliferation and viability were measured by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. FACS was used to analyze the cell cycle distribution profile. RESULTS: We showed that with the hTERT promoter directly driving shRNA transcription, expression of the exogenous reporters (LUC and EGFP) in tumor cells, but not normal cells, was specifically inhibited in vitro. The hTERT promoter-driven shRNA also depressed the expression of Bcl-2. Inhibition of Bcl-2 did not affect cell proliferation, but increased the chemosensitivity of HeLa cells to 5-fluorouracil. CONCLUSION: The present study describes an efficient RNAi system for gene silencing that is specific to tumor cells using the hTERT promoter. Suppression of Bcl-2 by using this system sensitized HeLa cells to 5-fluorouracil. This system may be useful for RNAi therapy.

Cell Cycle↗

Specific RNA interference in psbP genes encoded by a multigene family in Nicotiana tabacum with a short 3'-untranslated sequence.

RNA interference with double-stranded RNA is a new method for the study of gene function in various organisms. In this report, we show that an inverted repeat of a short (103-bp) 3'-untranslated sequence of an isogene, 1A, of psbP genes, encoded by a small multigene family of four genes (1A, 2AF, 3F, and 5B) in Nicotiana tabacum, can specifically suppress the expression of psbP isogenes 1A and 5B with a 3'-untranslated sequence similar to a transcribed double-stranded RNA. The expression of other psbP isogenes, 2AF and 3F, was not affected, although the coding sequences of the psbP family genes are highly conserved. Consistent with this observation, small interfering RNAs were detected for the 3'-untranslated sequence used for the inverted-repeat transgene, and not for the coding sequence. These results suggest that double-stranded RNA having a 3'-untranslated sequence could be useful for an isogene-specific RNA interference of the family genes in Nicotiana tabacum.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Functional analysis of four members of the PsbP family in photosystem II in Nicotiana tabacum using differential RNA interference.

Gene redundancy is frequently found in higher plants and complicates genetic analysis. In this study, a method referred to as 'differential RNA interference (dRNAi)' was used to investigate the psbP gene family in Nicotiana tabacum. PsbP is a membrane-extrinsic subunit of PSII and plays important roles in the water splitting reaction. N. tabacum has four psbP isogenes and the function of each isogene has not yet been characterized in vivo. To obtain transgenic tobacco plants with various amounts and compositions of PsbP members, the psbP isogenes were differentially silenced by RNA interference (RNAi) using the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) as a silencing trigger (dRNAi). In addition, the extra psbP genes without the 3'-UTR were complementarily transformed into the above silenced plants, which accumulated PsbP originating from the exogenous gene while differential silencing of the endogenous target was maintained. By using dRNAi and subsequent complementation (substitution) in dRNAi, we clearly demonstrated that, regardless of the of PsbP members that were accumulated, PSII activity was linearly correlated with the total amount of PsbP. Therefore, we concluded that the protein functions of the PsbP members in N. tabacum are equivalent in vivo, whereas full expression of the four isogenes is required for optimum PSII activity. These results demonstrate that the use of dRNAi and subsequent complementation/substitution in dRNAi would provide a new experimental approach for studying the function of multigene families in plants.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

RNA interference spreading in C. elegans.

The phenomenon of RNA interference (RNAi) occurs in eukaryotic organisms from across the boundaries of taxonomic kingdoms. In all cases, the basic mechanism of RNAi appears to be conserved--an initial trigger [double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) containing perfect homology over at least 19-21/bp with an endogenous gene] is processed into short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules and these siRNAs stimulate degradation of the homologous mRNA. In the vast majority of species, RNAi can only be initiated following the deliberate introduction of dsRNA into a cell by microinjection, electroporation, or transfection. However, in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, RNAi can be simply initiated by supplying dsRNA in the surrounding medium or in the diet. Following uptake, this dsRNA triggers a systemic effect, initiating RNAi against the corresponding target gene in tissues that are not in direct contact with the external milieu. This phenomenon of systemic RNAi, or RNAi spreading, is notably absent from mammalian species, a fact that is likely to prove a substantial barrier to the wider use of RNAi as a clinical therapy. An understanding of the mechanism of systemic RNAi is therefore of considerable importance, and several advances of the last few years have begun to shed light on this process. Here we review our current understanding of systemic RNAi in C. elegans and draw comparisons with systemic RNAi pathways in other organisms.

Animals↗

Stable RNA interference: comparison of U6 and H1 promoters in endothelial cells and in mouse brain.

BACKGROUND: RNA interference (RNAi) is a post-transcriptional RNA degradation process, which has become a very useful tool in gene function studies and gene therapy applications. Long-term cellular expression of small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules required for many gene therapy applications can be achieved by lentiviral vectors (LVs). The two most commonly used promoters to drive the short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression are the human U6 small nuclear promoter (U6) and the human H1 promoter (H1). METHODS: We investigated whether there is any significant difference between the efficiencies of U6 and H1 in LV-mediated RNAi using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a target gene by flow cytometry and real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in endothelial cells. Also, we compared the efficiencies of U6 and H1 in the GFP transgenic mouse brain after stereotactic LV injection. RESULTS: We show that the U6 promoter is more efficient than H1 in GFP silencing in vitro, leading to 80% GFP knockdown at an average of one integrated vector genome per target cell genome. The silencing is persistent for several months. In addition, the U6 promoter is superior to H1 in vivo and leads to stable GFP knockdown in mouse brain for at least 9 months. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that LV-mediated RNAi is a powerful gene-silencing method for the long-term inhibition of gene expression in vitro and in vivo.

Animals↗

RNA interference as a tool to study gene function in bovine oocytes.

RNA interference (RNAi) has become a well-established technique to study gene function in several species. Our objective was to develop a RNAi approach to study gene function in bovine oocytes. In the first experiment, three different treatments including a 20 min exposure to cytochalasin B, a 6 hr maturation in cycloheximide, and a combination of these two treatments were tested to improve oocyte survival following microinjection. The cycloheximide/cytochalasin B treatment greatly increased (P<0.02) the survival rate of the microinjected oocytes. In the second experiment, we assessed the effect of both cyclin B1 and GFP dsRNA on cyclin B1 mRNA and protein expression. The injection of cyclin B1 dsRNA resulted in a decrease in cyclin B1 mRNA and protein, while the cyclin B2 mRNA remained unaffected. Furthermore, the injection of GFP dsRNA did not interfere with cyclin B1 mRNA or protein nor with the ability of the oocyte to mature properly. In addition, the lack of cyclin B1 in the oocyte led to activation in 10% of the oocytes as evidenced by the presence of a pronucleus. However, the use of an additional 10 hr of maturation in the presence of 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) prevented germinal vesicle breakdown and allowed a longer exposure to dsRNA. This procedure increased the percentage of activated oocytes to 33% and is likely to result from an increased length of time for dsRNA processing and for degradation of the cyclin B1 mRNA to occur. In conclusion, RNAi represents a useful technique to study gene function in the bovine oocyte.

Adenine↗

Prolonged down regulation of specific gene expression in nucleus pulposus cell mediated by RNA interference in vitro.

To investigate the efficacies and the longevity of RNA interference in nucleus pulposus cells from rat and human, two reporter luciferase plasmids (Firefly and Renilla) were used. These plasmids were cotransfected with siRNA targeting Firefly luciferase to the nucleus pulposus cells extracted from Sprague Dawley rats and scoliosis patients. The inhibitory effects were evaluated by dual luciferase assay for 3 weeks. Proliferation activity of fibroblast-like cells extracted from the subcutaneous tissue of Sprague Dawley rats and the nucleus pulposus cells were measured by proliferation assay (WST-8 assay) every 2 days after plating. The expression of Firefly luciferase was drastically inhibited both in rats (94.7%) and in humans (93.7%). The inhibitory effects were maintained for 2 weeks and had disappeared completely by 3 weeks. The proliferation activity of nucleus pulposus cells was significantly lower than fibroblast-like cells. We have shown, for the first time, siRNA-mediated gene silencing in rat and human disc cells for a relatively sustained period, probably due to the stability of the nucleus pulposus cells in terms of cell proliferation. The demonstration of this study may allow further exploration of the use of siRNA for scientific research and the treatment of disc degenerative diseases.

Animals↗

RNA interference: a mammalian SID-1 homologue enhances siRNA uptake and gene silencing efficacy in human cells.

SID-1 is a transmembrane protein that mediates systemic RNA interference in Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we show that the mammalian SID-1 homologue FLJ20174 localizes to the cell membrane of human cells and enhances their uptake of small interfering RNA (siRNA), resulting in increased siRNA-mediated gene silencing efficacy. This is the first demonstration to show that overexpression of a membrane protein enhances siRNA internalization in mammalian cells. This observation raises the possibility of enhancing the efficacy of RNA interference.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

RNA interference (RNAi) inhibits growth of Plasmodium falciparum.

RNA interference (RNAi) causes degradation of targeted endogenous RNA in many diverse organisms. Erythrocyte-infecting stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum were treated with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) encoding a segment of the gene encoding dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). DHODH is an enzyme in pyrimidine biosynthesis, essential for parasite growth. A decrease in parasite growth (P<0.0005) correlated with a decrease in levels of DHODH mRNA. Control treatments with single-stranded RNA, dsRNA encoding the circumsporozoite protein (a stage-specific protein not expressed in the asexual blood stage) and dsRNA encoding a gene from the related organism Toxoplasma gondii did not inhibit growth. As a test for the RNAi assay, parasites were treated with dsRNA encoding chorismate synthase (CS), an enzyme thought to be involved in folate synthesis, to examine the requirement for this enzyme for parasite growth. Growth decreased (P<0.001) though less markedly than by dsRNA encoding DHODH. These results demonstrate the utility of this assay in assessing requirements for gene products, and their potential as chemotherapeutic targets.

Animals↗

[Role of human leukocyte antigen-G small interference RNA in a choriocarcinoma cell line].

OBJECTIVE: To study the role of human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) in the carcinogenesis and development of choriocarcinoma. METHODS: We designed and synthesized a double strand small interference RNA (siRNA) of HLA-G, then transfected it into a HLA-G overexpressed choriocarcinoma cell line, JEG-3 by lipofectine; HLA-G mRNA level was detected by real time RT-PCR; HLA-G protein level was detected by western blot. The living cells of JEG-3 were counted under microscope after transfection by siRNA. RESULTS: Double strand siRNA of HLA-G effectively downregulated the mRNA level and the protein level of HLA-G. The mRNA levels by Ct value at different concentration (1.0, 2.5, 5.0 microg/L) were 20.67 +/- 0.02, 21.37 +/- 0.03, 21.43 +/- 0.02, respectively. They were significantly different compared with the control groups which were 20.33 +/- 0.01, 20.37 +/- 0.02, 20.40 +/- 0.03, respectively (P < 0.05). The protein levels were down regulated in different concentration compared with the control groups (0.42 +/- 0.03 vs 1.69 +/- 0.23, 0.37 +/- 0.02 vs 1.62 +/- 0.31, 0.12 +/- 0.04 vs 1.36 +/- 0.22; P < 0.01). Through downregulation of HLA-G expression, the growth of choriocarcinoma cells was inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: Small interference RNA of HLA-G can effectively down regulate HLA-G gene in mRNA and protein levels and inhibit tumor growth in choriocarcinoma. It shows that HLA-G plays an important role in the development of choriocarcinoma.

Cell Line, Tumor↗

[Experimental research of therapeutic effect on hepatocellular carcinoma of targeting SMYD3 gene inhibition by RNA interference].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the potential of SMYD3 as a therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by potent and highly sequence-specific RNA interference (RNAi) technique. METHODS: The mRNA of SMYD3 was detected by RT-PCR in different HCC cell lines, such as HepG2, Hep3B and SMMC7721. Recombinant SMYD3 shRNA plasmid Pgenesil-1-s was constructed and transfected into HepG2 cells, and Western blot was used to identify the down regulation of SMYD3 protein expression after transfection. MTT and flow cytometry analysis (FCM) were respectively applied to analysis cell proliferation and apoptosis. In vivo study was carried out by injecting recombinant SMYD3 shRNA plasmids into transplanted tumors of nude mice. RESULTS: The expression of SMYD3 mRNA was abundant in HCC cell lines HepG2, Hep3B, SMMC7721, whereas none in normal hepatic cell line L-02. RNA interference was able to suppress SMYD3 expression greatly and then inhibited cell growth effectively and induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells efficiently. After injection of recombinant SMYD3 shRNA plasmid, transplanted tumors grew slowly and reduced in size and weight when compared with those of control groups (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: SMYD3 plays a major role in occurrence and progress of HCC. Inhibition of SMYD3 by RNAi can induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells and suppress tumor growth in nude mice. Therefore SMYD3 could be an ideal therapeutic target for HCC.

Animals↗

Application of RNA interference for inhibiting the replication of feline immunodeficiency virus in chronically infected cell lines.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which double-stranded RNA induces the post-transcriptional sequence-specific degradation of homologous messenger RNA. The present study was carried out to apply the RNAi technology to inhibit the replication of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Four small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) homologous to the FIV gag gene were synthesized and transfected into a feline fibroblastic cell line chronically infected with FIV (CRFK/FIV). These synthetic siRNAs efficiently inhibited the replication of FIV. Next, we examined the effect of retroviral vector-mediated transfer of FIV-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) on the replication of FIV in a feline T-cell line chronically infected with FIV (FL4). The retroviral vector-mediated transfer of FIV-specific shRNA was shown to markedly inhibit the replication of FIV in the FL4 cells. These results provide useful information for the development of RNAi-based gene therapy strategy to control FIV infection.

Animals↗

Usage of putative chicken U6 promoters for vector-based RNA interference.

Gene silencing with short interfering RNA (siRNA) expression vectors is a powerful method for the analysis of gene functions. For the expression of siRNA in mammalian cells, mammalian U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) promoters are widely used. However, the mammalian U6 promoter might not function well in other species. In this study, we cloned four putative chicken U6 promoters by PCR and analyzed their functions. First, we screened the chicken genomic database using the human U6 snRNA gene and identified four candidate sequences. The sequences contained some control elements in their promoter regions, but as we could not rule out that they were pseudogenes, we amplified these sequences and used them as promoters for short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression. Using the firefly luciferase (Luc) gene as a target, transient expression assays were performed with chicken ovary-derived cells. All four putative chicken U6 promoters exhibited suppressive activity toward Luc, and so could act as a promoter for expression of the snRNA gene in the chicken genome. The promoter activity was not as strong as that of a commercially available siRNA expression vector. This probably reflects artificial sequences between the promoters and synthetic DNA encoding shRNA.

Animals↗