i-Fect Delivers Again!

Knocks Down Suspected Stress/Anxiety Receptor


The molecular pathogenesis underlying anxiety disorders is still unclear. Here, the authors demonstrate that myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate like 1 (MARCKSL1) overexpression in mice increases spine formation in the amygdala and induces stress hormone upregulation and anxiety-like behaviors. Suppression of MARCKSL1 in the amygdala ameliorates both the increase in stress hormones and the elevated anxiety-like behaviors. Our results indicate that MARCKSL1 expression in the amygdala plays an important role in anxiety-like behaviors.

This was proved, in part, by the knockdown of MARCKSL1 in vivo in mice using our i-Fect^TM. Tanaka, Takashi; Shimizu, Shoko; Ueno, Masaki; Fujihara, Yoshitaka; Ikawa, Masahito; Miyata, Shingo. MARCKSL1 Regulates Spine Formation in the Amygdala and Controls the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Anxiety-Like Behaviors. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.03.018

Figure: Knockdown of MARCKSL1 ameliorates anxiety-like behavior in MARCKSL1 Tg mice. (A and B) For the in vivo experiment, siRNA (blue) was injected into the CeA (total 4 sites) with i-Fect siRNA transfection reagents 5 days prior to behavioral tests. (C) In situ hybridization for Marcksl1 mRNA (blue) in the amygdala after injection of Marcksl1 siRNA into the CeA of Tg/Tg mice. Scale bar, 200 μm. (D and E) Light/dark transition test and elevated plus maze performance in 

MARCKSL1 knockdown mice (WT + control siRNA, n = 7; Tg/Tg + control siRNA, n = 7; Tg/Tg + Marcksl1 siRNA, n = 8).

We will continue to post new i-Fect results here.

i-Fect Delivers siRNA to Study Angiogenesis in Brain Injury

Silencing Lactate Dehydrogenase A in vivo

Pathologic CNS is characterized by neuronal damage that leads to the release of intracellular components. However, the effect of damaged cells on angiogenesis has not been clarified. This study revealed that LDHA, which is a known damage marker, promotes CNS-specific angiogenesis. LDHA-mediated angiogenesis depends on vimentin on the surface of vascular endothelial cells. The work described here proposes a novel mechanism by which neurodegeneration drives angiogenesis in the CNS.

A mixture of our i-Fect^TM and LDHA siRNA, in this study, were directly injected into mice cortexes: Hsiaoyun Lin, Rieko Muramatsu, Noriko Maedera, Hiroto Tsunematsu, Machika Hamaguchi, Yoshihisa Koyama, Mariko Kuroda, Kenji Ono, Makoto Sawada, Toshihide Yamashita. Extracellular Lactate Dehydrogenase A Release From Damaged Neurons Drives Central Nervous System Angiogenesis. doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.10.033.

Images: LDHA is sufficient to evoke CNS angiogenesis. (a) Representative images of CD105-labeled spinal cord sections obtained 7 days after LDHA administration. (b) Length of CD105+ neovessels around the LDHA administration site as indicated in a, n = 5 each. (c) Representative image of a Nissl-stained brain section after controlled cortical impact (CCI). (d) Representative image of the CD105-immunolabelled cerebral cortex obtained 7 days after CCI. (e) Length of CD105+ neovessels around CCI lesions as indicated in d; n = 5 each, all error bars represent the s.e.m. **P < 0.01, Student's t-tests. Scale bars, 200 μm.

The findings reveal unexpected neurovascular interactions in the injured adult CNS that may be relevant to our understanding of neuronal damage, which is a hallmark of many CNS disorders

Delivering siRNA in vivo

New Publications

Our i-Fect transfection kit was one of the first products. This has resulted in it being widely used and frequently published.

We kick off 2018 with some new publications. Here we feature a study where researchers use our kit to deliver G-protein-coupled receptor C (MrgprC) siRNA in vivo. This receptor is part of the TRPV1 pathway.

• Ying-jun Liu, Xiao-xi Lin, Jian-qiao Fang, and Fang Fang. Involvement of MrgprC in electroacupuncture analgesia for attenuating CFA-induced thermal hyperalgesia by suppressing the TRPV1 pathway. Pre-pub-full text PDF

Image: Expression of TRPV1 in rats treated with MrgrprC si RNA vs controls (C).

The others conclude that MrgprC expression is impacted by electroacupuncture and downregulates  TRPV1.  This is the mechanism that results in pain relief.