Selective silencing of a mutant transthyretin allele by small interfering RNAs

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is a hereditary systemic amyloidosis caused by dominantly acting missense mutations in the gene encoding transthyretin (TTR). The most common mutant TTR is of the Val30Met type, which results from a point mutation. Because the major constituent of amyloid fibrils is mutant TTR, agents that selectively suppress mutant TTR expression could be powerful therapeutic tools. This study has been performed to evaluate the use of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for the selective silencing of mutant Val30Met TTR in cell culture systems. We have identified an siRNA that specifically inhibits mutant, but not wild-type, TTR expression even in cells expressing both alleles. Thus, this siRNA-based approach may have potential for the gene therapy of FAP.     

靶向survivin的siRNA对胃癌BGC-823细胞增殖的影响

目的探讨干扰RNA沉默生存素（survivin）基因表达对人胃癌BGC-823细胞增殖和凋亡的影响。方法设计并合成3条靶向survivin的小分子干扰RNA（siRNA）,构建表达性干扰RNA质粒（shRNA）——shRNA-survivin-1、shRNA-survivin-2和shRNA-survivin-3,分别转染胃癌BGC-823细胞,实时定量PCR检测干扰RNA沉默survivin mRNA表达效果,Westernblot观察对胃癌BGC-823细胞survivin蛋白质表达的抑制,MTT（四甲基偶氮唑盐）比色法分析检测细胞生长抑制率,流式细胞计数检测各组细胞周期和凋亡率,探讨干扰RNA对胃癌BGC-823细胞生长的影响。结果在体外,shRNA-survivin-1有效沉默人胃癌BGC-823细胞survivin mRNA的表达,使sur-vivin mRNA相对水平明显降低（P〈0.05）,survivin蛋白质表达抑制,72h细胞生长抑制率达74.92%（P〈0.05）,shRNA-survivin-1使G2/M期细胞百分比明显增加,凋亡率显著增加（P〈0.05）。结论 shRNA-survivin-1可以沉默survivin基因的表达,可以显著抑制胃癌BGC-823细胞的增殖,在一定程度上诱导其自发凋亡。本研究为靶向sur-vivin的RNA干扰在胃癌的基因治疗提供了有力的理论依据和技术储备。     

靶向survivin的siRNA对胃癌BGC-823细胞增殖和转移能力的影响

目的探讨沉默生存素（survivin）基因表达的干扰RNA对人胃癌BGC-823细胞增殖和成瘤能力的影响。方法应用已经在细胞上验证能够有效沉默survivin的小分子干扰RNA（shRNA-survivin-1）,并在体外实验的基础上,建立稳定表达干扰RNA细胞系,进一步探讨干扰RNA稳定表达对胃癌BGC-823细胞生长和裸鼠移植成瘤的影响。结果 shRNA-survivin-1有效沉默人胃癌BGC-823细胞survivin mRNA的表达,成功筛选shRNA-sur-vivin-1稳定表达细胞株BGC/siRNA-1细胞,实验表明,BGC/siRNA-1细胞的生长曲线缓慢上升,细胞增殖能力下降;BGC/siRNA-1细胞裸鼠移植成瘤体积与对照组相比,明显减小（P〈0.05）。结论 shRNA-survivin-1可以沉默survivin基因的表达,可以显著抑制胃癌BGC-823细胞的增殖,并降低胃癌BGC-823细胞的成瘤能力,本研究为靶向survivin的RNA干扰在胃癌的基因治疗提供了有力的理论依据和技术储备。 更多还原     

Application of small interfering RNAs modified by unlocked nucleic acid (UNA) to inhibit the heart-pathogenic coxsackievirus B3

This study describes the first application of unlocked nucleic acid (UNA)-modified small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) directed against a medically relevant target, the coxsackievirus B3. We systematically analyzed the impact of different siRNA modification patterns and observed good compatibility of the introduction of UNA with the maintenance of high antiviral activity. Additionally, the polarity of an siRNA was successfully reversed by modulating the relative stability of the termini with locked nucleic acid (LNA) and UNA as shown in a reporter assay. The potency of the reversed siRNA against the full-length target was, however, too low to inhibit the infectious virus. Altogether, combined modification of siRNAs with LNA und UNA provides a promising approach to alter and improve properties of an siRNA.     

Specific gene silencing using small interfering RNAs in fish embryos

Recently, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have been used for gene knockdown in mammalian cultured cells, but their utility in fish has remained unexplored. Here we demonstrate a siRNA-mediated gene silencing technique in rainbow trout embryos. We found that siRNAs effectively suppressed the transient expression of episomally located foreign GFP genes at an early developmental stage and inhibited the expression of GFP genes in stable transgenic trout embryos. Similar gene silencing was observed with an siRNA against the endogenous tyrosinase A gene. siRNAs interfered with the expression of maternally inherited mRNA. siRNAs did not affect non-relevant gene expression and siRNAs with a 4 base mismatch did not affect target gene expression. siRNA gene silencing is therefore highly sequence-specific. Our findings are the first evidence that siRNA-mediated gene silencing is effective in fish. This technique could be a powerful tool for studying gene function during embryonic development in aquacultural fish species, zebrafish, and medaka.     

Effective small interfering RNAs and phosphorothioate antisense DNAs have different preferences for target sites in the luciferase mRNAs

Antisense DNA target sites can be selected by the accessibility of the mRNA target. It remains unknown whether a mRNA site that is accessible to an antisense DNA is also a good candidate target site for a siRNA. Here, we reported a parallel analysis of 12 pairs of antisense DNAs and siRNA duplexes for their potency to inhibit reporter luciferase activity in mammalian cells, both of the antisense DNA and siRNA agents in a pair being directed to same site in the mRNA. Five siRNAs and two antisense DNAs turned out to be effective, but the sites targeted by those effective siRNAs and antisense DNAs did not overlap. Our results indicated that effective antisense DNAs and siRNAs have different preferences for target sites in the mRNA.     

Viral RNA recognition by the Drosophila small interfering RNA pathway

Viral RNA is a common activator of antiviral responses. In this review, we dissect the mechanism of viral RNA recognition by the small interfering RNA pathway in Drosophila melanogaster. This antiviral response in fruit flies can help understand general principles of nucleic acid recognition.     

siRNA对SARS冠状病毒复制的抑制作用

为探讨siRNA在哺乳动物细胞中对SARS冠状病毒复制的抑制作用,针对BJ0 1株SARS冠状病毒复制酶基因(Pol)和刺突蛋白基因(S) ,设计4个siRNA ,并构建相应的siRNA表达载体及克隆细胞系.利用间接免疫荧光法及实时定量反转录PCR法,检测所设计的siRNA对SARS冠状病毒复制的抑制作用.结果表明,针对Pol基因的siRNA(psOe)在Vero细胞中可阻断BJ0 1株SARS病毒RNA的复制及其蛋白的表达.该结果为深入阐明SARS冠状病毒的致病机理及探讨SARS病毒防治新途径奠定了基础.     

In vivo delivery of small interfering RNA targeting brain capillary endothelial cells

Brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) play an important role in blood-brain barrier (BBB) functions and pathophysiologic mechanisms in brain ischemia and inflammation. We try to suppress gene expression in BCECs by intravenous application of small interfering RNA (siRNA). After injection of large dose siRNA with hydrodynamic technique to mouse, suppression of endogenous protein and the BBB function of BCECs was investigated. The brain-to-blood transport function of organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3) that expressed in BCECs was evaluated by Brain Efflux Index method in mouse. The siRNA could be delivered to BCECs and efficiently inhibited endogenously expressed protein of BCECs. The suppression effect of siRNA to OAT3 is enough to reduce the brain-to-blood transport of OAT3 substrate, benzylpenicillin at BBB. The in vivo siRNA-silencing method with hydrodynamic technique may be useful for the study of BBB function and gene therapy targeting BCECs.     

Milligram scale production of potent recombinant small interfering RNAs in Escherichia coli

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are invaluable research tools for studying gene functions in mammalian cells. siRNAs are mainly produced by chemical synthesis or by enzymatic digestion of double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) produced in vitro. Recently, bacterial cells, engineered with ectopic plant viral siRNA binding protein p19, have enabled the production of “recombinant” siRNAs (pro‐siRNAs). Here, we describe an optimized methodology for the production of milligram amount of highly potent recombinant pro‐siRNAs from Escherichia coli cells. We first optimized bacterial culture medium and tested new designs of pro‐siRNA production plasmid. Through the exploration of multiple pro‐siRNA related factors, including the expression of p19 protein, (dsRNA) generation method, and the level of RNase III, we developed an optimal pro‐siRNA production plasmid. Together with a high–cell density fed‐batch fermentation method in a bioreactor, we have achieved a yield of ~10 mg purified pro‐siRNA per liter of bacterial culture. The pro‐siRNAs produced by the optimized method can achieve high efficiency of gene silencing when used at low nanomolar concentrations. This new method enables fast, economical, and renewable production of pure and highly potent bioengineered pro‐siRNAs at the milligram level. Our study also provides important insights into the strategies for optimizing the production of RNA products in bacteria, which is an under‐explored field.     

碳纳米管作为siRNA转运载体的研究进展

随着人们对RNA干扰分子机理的研究愈加深入,siRNA作为一种新的基因治疗药物极有可能为人类攻克癌症等难以治愈的疾病带来希望。然而,目前在RNA干扰应用中遇到的最大挑战就是如何有效地将siRNA导入靶细胞且不致引起严重的细胞毒性。碳纳米管在药物传递和基因传递等生物医学领域的潜在应用受到广泛关注;但要实现碳纳米管在基因治疗领域的应用,碳纳米管的功能化是关键,也是近几年来研究的重点。综述近年来碳纳米管作为siRNA转运载体在基因治疗领域的研究进展。     

Inhibiting gene expression in vivo by virus-mediated small interfering RNA

Inhibiting gene expression in specific tissues and organs through intravenous injection would be the ultimately preferred method of disease therapy. Here, we report the successful delivery of lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA (siRNA) to suppress GFP gene expression in living mice. First, a lentiviral vector with siRNA (len-siRNA) driven by H1 promoter was constructed to effectively suppress GFP expression in Mel cells. When the len-siRNA virus was injected into transgenic mice, the GFP expression was significantly suppressed (over 15% reduction) in the recipient mice compared to the control mice and the suppressing effect lasted more than 1 week after injection. Our results demonstrate a new effective approach to inhibit gene expression by siRNA and lentiviral vectors. Further development of this drug for suppression of gene expression siRNA should result in applications not only for cancers but also for infectious and immune diseases. Published in Russian in Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, 2008, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 990–996. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

An efficient method to enhance gene silencing by using precursor microRNA designed small hairpin RNAs

Gene silencing can be mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA). To investigate the potential application of using a precursor microRNA (pre-miRNA) backbone for gene silencing, we studied the inhibition efficiency of exogenous GFP and endogenous GAPDH by conventional shRNA- and pre-miRNA-designed hairpins, respectively. In this study, the conventional shRNA-, pre-miRNA-30-, and pre-miRNA-155-designed hairpins targeting either GFP or GAPDH were transfected into the HEK293 cells that were mediated by the pSilencer-4.1-neo vector, which carries a modified RNA polymerase II-type CMV promoter. Comparisons with conventional GFP shRNA showed that GFP levels were reduced markedly by pre-miRNA-30- and pre-miRNA-155-designed GFP shRNAs by fluorescence microscopy. The consistent results from semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed that pre-miRNA-30- and pre-miRNA-155-designed GFP shRNAs could suppress GFP expression significantly. As for endogenous GAPDH, the results from semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that pre-miRNA-30- and pre-miRNA-155-designed GAPDH shRNAs could suppress GAPDH expression even more efficiently than conventional GAPDH shRNA. Together, this study confirmed the efficiency of gene silencing mediated by pre-miRNA-30- and pre-miRNA-155-designed shRNAs, demonstrating that pre-miRNA-designed hairpins are a good strategy for gene silencing.     

Small interfering RNA inhibits SARS-CoV nucleocapsid gene expression in cultured cells and mouse muscles

SARS-CoV is a newly identified coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Currently, there is no effective method available for prophylaxis and treatment of SARS-CoV infections. In the present study, the influence of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on SARS-CoV nucleocapsid (N) protein expression was detected in cultured cells and mouse muscles. Four siRNA expression cassettes driven by mouse U6 promoter targeting SARS-CoV N gene were prepared, and their inhibitory effects on expression of N and enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) fusion protein were observed. A candidate siRNA was proved to down-regulate N and EGFP expression actively in a sequence-specific manner. The expression vector of this siRNA was constructed and confirmed to reduce N and EGFP expression efficiently in both cultured cells and adult mouse muscles. Our findings suggest that the siRNA should provide the basis for prophylaxis and therapy of SARS-CoV infection in human.     

Inhibition of genes expression of SARS coronavirus by synthetic small interfering RNAs

RNA interference (RNAi) is triggered by the presence of a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), and results in the silencing of homologous gene expression through the specific degradation of an mRNA containing the same sequence, dsRNAmediated RNAi can be used in a wide variety of eucaryotes to induce the sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression.Synthetic 21-23 nucleotide (nt) small interfering RNA (siRNA) with 2 nt 3‘ overhangs was recently found to mediate efficient sequence-specific mRNA degradation in mammalian cells. Here, we studied the effects of synthetic siRNA duplexes targeted to SARS coronavirus structural proteins E, M, and N in a cell culture system. Among total 26 siRNAduplexes, we obtained 3 siRNA duplexes which could sequence-specifically reduce target genes expression over 80% at the concentration of 60 nM in Vero E6 cells. The downregulation effect was in correlation with the concentrations of the siRNA duplexes in a range of 0-450 nM. Our results also showed that many inactive siRNA duplexes may be brought to life simply by unpairing the 5‘ end of the antisense strands. Results suggest that siRNA is capable of inhibiting SARS coronavirus genes expression and thus may be a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of SARS.     

survivin启动子驱动的shRNA在宫颈癌SiHa细胞中的特异性表达

研究survivin启动子驱动的小发夹RNA(shRNA)在宫颈癌SiHa细胞中的特异性表达.PCR扩增survivin启动子,构建以survivin启动子驱动增强绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)表达的真核表达载体pEGFP-C1/Surv,并检测survivin启动子的活性;构建针对EGFP的shRNA真核表达载体pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/U6,并检测shRNA在U6启动子驱动下的干扰效果;用有活性的survivin启动子取代pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/U6载体中的U6启动子,从而获得新的shRNA真核表达载体pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/Surv;将pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/Surv转染到宫颈癌SiHa细胞及正常人脐静脉内皮HuVEC细胞,观察EGFP在两种细胞中的表达变化.结果表明,成功扩增survivin启动子并验证该启动子具有活性;成功构建EGFP shRNA真核表达载体pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/U6,并验证shRNA在U6启动子驱动下具有较好的干扰效果;成功构建pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/Surv载体,分别转染SiHa及HuVEC细胞,在SiHa 细胞中观察到较少的绿色荧光蛋白表达,而在HuVEC细胞中观察到较多的绿色荧光蛋白表达.survivin启动子能驱动shRNA在宫颈癌SiHa细胞中特异性表达,而在正常HuVEC细胞中不表达.     

In vitro evaluation of optimized liposomes for delivery of small interfering RNA

One of the biggest challenges for small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as therapeutic agents is their insufficient cellular delivery efficiency. We developed long circulating and cationic liposomes to improve the cell uptake and inhibitory effectiveness of siRNA on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cancer cells. SiRNA liposomes were obtained by polyelectrolyte complexation between negatively charged siRNA and positively charged liposome prepared by a hydration method. Gel electrophoresis was used to evaluate the loading efficiency of siRNA on the cationic liposome. The optimized siRNA liposomes were observed to be spherical in shape and had smooth surfaces with particle sizes of 167.7?±?2.0?nm and zeta potentials of 4.03?±?0.69?mV, which had no significant change when stored at 4?°C for three months. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting studies and confocal laser scanning images indicated that the cationic liposomes significantly increased the uptake of fluorescence-labeled siRNA in cancer cells. Effects of the siRNA on the inhibition of VEGF were tested by measuring concentrations of VEGF in cell culture media via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and intracellular VEGF levels using a western blotting method. The liposomal siRNA was significantly effective at inhibiting the expression of VEGF in lung, liver and breast cancer cells. Optimal liposomes could effectively deliver siRNA into cancer cells and inhibit VEGF as a therapy agent.