Delivering miRNA in vivo

More Transfection Success! Great Research Tools!

Our i-Fect^TM  Transfection Kit is used to study Epigenetics and pain. Here's yet another example: M. Leinders, b, N. Üçeyler, R.A. Pritchard, C. Sommer, L.S. Sorkin. Increased miR-132-3p expression is associated with chronic neuropathic pain. Experimental Neurology. Volume 283, Part A, September 2016, Pages 276–286...The inhibitor and mimetic were administered to awake rats via the it catheters. Prior to injection, active or mismatch inhibitors were mixed with (1:5 w/v) i-Fect™ in vivo transfection reagent(Neuromics, Edina, USA) to final doses of 5, 2 and 1 μg in 10 μl...

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Spinal administration of miR-132-3p antagonists via intrathecal (i.t.) catheters dose dependently reversed mechanical allodyina  and eliminated pain behavior in the place escape avoidance paradigm (p < 0.001). Intrathecal administration of miR-132-3p mimetic dose-dependently induced pain behavior in naïve rats (p < 0.001). Taken together these results indicate a pro-nociceptive effect of miR-132-3p in chronic neuropathic pain.

Finding like these could pave the way for an miRNA like therapy for pain.

i-Fect used to Study Epigenetics in Nerve Injury

i-Fect used In Vivo for Study

Researchers use our i-Fect^TM to effectively deliver miR-126 in vivo to modulate Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2).

MeCP2 regulates gene expression through activation, repression and chromatin remodeling. Mutations in MeCP2 cause Rett syndrome, and these patients display impaired nociception. The researchers observed an increase in MeCP2 expression in mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) after peripheral nerve injury: Melissa T. Manners, Adam Ertel, Yuzhen Tian and Seena K. Ajit. Genome-wide redistribution of MeCP2 in dorsal root ganglia after peripheral nerve injury. Epigenetics & Chromatin 20169:23. DOI: 10.1186/s13072-016-0073-5© The Author(s) 2016 Received: 11 March 2016. Accepted: 27 May 2016Published: 7 June 2016...miRNA administration protocol was adapted from previous report of intrathecal miRNA delivery. To administer miRNA mimics, a polyurethane catheter (25G, 5.5 cm long, SAI infusion) was placed into the intrathecal space of the lumber L4–L5 vertebrae under isoflurane anesthesia. The catheter was stereotactically secured under the skin and occluded between injections. A custom miRCURY (Exiqon) miR-126 mimic containing a 5′ cholesterol tag and 3′ fluorescein label was injected at 2 nmol concentration with 4 µl iFECT transfection reagent (Neuromics). A total of 6 µl was delivered into the catheter connection juncture using a 25G blunt end needle on a Hamilton syringe. The catheter was then flushed with 7 µl sterile PBS to ensure miRNA reached the intrathecal space...

Figure: Expression of miR-126 and its target genes Dnmt1 and Vegfa in the DRG after nerve injury. a Relative expression of miR-126 determined by qPCR shows a reduction in miR-126 in SNI model compared to DRG from sham control. U6 was used for normalization (n = 8 sham, n = 7 SNI). b Relative expression of Dnmt1 mRNA and c Vegfa transcripts showed an increase in the DRG after nerve injury compared to control (n = 3). Gapdh was used as a normalizer. d Representative Western blot and quantification showed an increase of Dnmt1 protein in the DRG after nerve injury. e Western blot and quantification showed Vegfa protein was not significantly different in DRG after nerve injury (n = 3 from pooled samples, three DRG were pooled for each sample).

Conclusions: The study shows a regulatory role for MeCP2 in that changes in global redistribution can result in direct and indirect modulation of gene expression in the DRG. Alterations in genome-wide binding of MeCP2 therefore provide a molecular basis for a better understanding of epigenetic regulation-induced molecular changes underlying nerve injury.

Delivery of siRNA, miRNA, shRNA and Plasmids Guaranteed

Potent and Frequently Published Transfection Solutions


We have proven and frequently published transfection solutions. 
Powerful punch and versatility are now needed more than ever with the 
hyper growth in gene manipulation technologies like Sleeping Beauty^TM
and CRISPR-Cas9.

We have published examples of the use of our solutions for delivering siRNA, miRNA, 
shRNA and plasmids both in vitro and in vivo. here are some of your options.
i-Fect ™ -A novel cationic lipid formulation specifically 
designed for efficient delivery of 27mer DsiRNAs(dicer 
substrate small Interfering RNAs)& 21mer siRNAs (small interfering RNAs) in vitro and in vivo.
p-Fect™ -Designed to delivery plasmids, DNA or 
RNA to hard to transfect Cell Lines.

pn-Fect™ -The latest advance in transfection 
for primary neuronal cells. 
This unique reagent provides ultra-high plasmid DNA delivery 
efficiencies and low cytotoxicity compared to competitive reagents.
Here's a recent i-Fect Publication:
Liuming Jiang, Qun Wu , Tao Yang. Silencing of Id2 Alleviates 
Chronic Neuropathic Pain Following Chronic Constriction Injury.
Journal of Molecular Neuroscience\pp 1-7.First online: 15 January 2016
 

Figure: Knockdown of Id2 attenuated mechanical allodynia and thermal 

hyperalgesia in CCI rats. (a and b) PWT and PWL were measured 1 day before 

CCI and 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after intrathecal administration of shRNA-Id2.

If you are looking for transfection solutions, do not hesitate to contact me @ direct phone: 612-801-1007 or pshuster@neuromics.com. Thank you, Pete Shuster, CEO and Owner, Neuromics

miRNA, Inflammation and Coronary Heart Disease

i-Fect^TM Delivers miRNA for the Study of Cardiovascular Pathogenesis

We have posted over 35 publications that reference use of our i-Fect Transfection Kit to deliver siRNA, miRNA and shRNA in vitro and in vivo. Results documented in these publications prove that this kit is both non-toxic and delivers ultra-high transfection efficiency.

Here i-Fect is used to silence miR-21 microRNAs. This miRNA stimulates pro-inflammatory pathways that are at the root of Coronary Heart Disease: Guo Weizao, Liu Huichen, Li Lin, Yang Man and Du Aihua. Regulation of lovastatin on a key inflammation-related microRNA in myocardial cells. Chinese Medical Journal 2014;127(16):2977-2981:10.3760/cma.j.issn.0366-6999.20140780...... miRNA functional inhibition assay Anti-miR miRNA antagonist for miR-21 (Ambion/Life Technologies, Grand Island, NY, USA) was transfected into H9c2(2-1) cells using iFect transfection kit (Neuromics, Edina, MN, USA) according to the manufacturer's manual...

Results:Inhibition of miR-21 upregulates STAT-3 and exerts a critical role in the upregulation of cardioprotective and anti-apoptotic proteins.

Fig: Inhibition of miR-21 attenuated the up-regulation of phosphorylation of STAT3 in H9c2(2-1) cells by lovastatin (LST) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated cardiomyocytes. Combination of treatments are indicated under the image, the basic comparison was 1 vs 3. 

This study demonstrates the relationship between miR-21 and the STAT3 pathway in Coronary Heart Disease. Delivering inhibitory miRNA into cardiomyocytes was key to establishing this relationship. Further study could enable discovery of STAT3 related targets for CV protective drug. In the spirit of helping researchers find the best solutions and protocols for Gene Expression Analysis Studies, we will continue to post new findings.

Bidirectional integrative regulation of Cav1.2 calcium channel by microRNA miR-103: role in pain

I have reported use of our i-FectTM siRNA delivery kit for gene expression analysis studies of DOR, hTERT, The β3 subunit of the Na+,K+-ATPase, rSNSR1, NTS1. NAV1.8, , TRPV1, Survivin, Flaviviruses and more.

I am pleased to add the Cav1.2 calcium channel to this growing list. Congratulations to Dr. Marc Landry for discovering the interplay between microRNA-miR-103 and this calcium channel: Alexandre Favereaux, Olivier Thoumine, Rabia Bouali-Benazzouz, Virginie Roques, Marie-Amélie Papon, Sherine Abdel Salam, Guillaume Drutel, Claire Léger, André Calas, Frédéric Nagy and Marc Landry. Bidirectional integrative regulation of Cav1.2 calcium channel by microRNA miR-103: role in pain. The EMBO Journal , (29 July 2011) | doi:10.1038/emboj.2011.249.

Abstract: Chronic pain states are characterized by long-term sensitization of spinal cord neurons that relay nociceptive information to the brain. Among the mechanisms involved, up-regulation of Cav1.2-comprising L-type calcium channel (Cav1.2-LTC) in spinal dorsal horn have a crucial role in chronic neuropathic pain. Here, we address a mechanism of translational regulation of this calcium channel. Translational regulation by microRNAs is a key factor in the expression and function of eukaryotic genomes. Because perfect matching to target sequence is not required for inhibition, theoretically, microRNAs could regulate simultaneously multiple mRNAs. We show here that a single microRNA, miR-103, simultaneously regulates the expression of the three subunits forming Cav1.2-LTC in a novel integrative regulation. This regulation is bidirectional since knocking-down or over-expressing miR-103, respectively, up- or down-regulate the level of Cav1.2-LTC translation. Functionally, we show that miR-103 knockdown in naive rats results in hypersensitivity to pain. Moreover, we demonstrate that miR-103 is down-regulated in neuropathic animals and that miR-103 intrathecal applications successfully relieve pain, identifying miR-103 as a novel possible therapeutic target in neuropathic chronic pain.

MicroRNAs as targets for pain therapies are gathering momentum. This defned miR-103 is a compelling possibilty. I will be following the story closely as it unfolds.