i-Fect Assisted Transfection of ASIC-siRNAs

Dr. Eric Lingueglia and his team at LabEx Ion Channel Science and Therapeutics, 06560 Valbonne, France continue to do excellent work using our i-Fect siRNA Transfection Kit. Here they use the kit to help validate the potential of a new class of three-finger peptides from the black mamba to abolish pain through inhibition of ASICs expressed either in central or peripheral neurons: Sylvie Diochot, Anne Baron, Miguel Salinas, Dominique Douguet, Sabine Scarzello, Anne-Sophie Dabert-Gay, Delphine Debayle, Valérie Friend, Abdelkrim Alloui, Michel Lazdunski, Eric Lingueglia. Black mamba venom peptides target acid-sensing ion channels to abolish pain. Nature (2012)doi:10.1038/nature11494.

...Locally designed siRNAs targeting ASIC1 (si-ASIC1a/1b, GCCAAGAAGUUCAACAAAUdtdt), ASIC2 (si-ASIC2a/2b, UGAUCAAAGAGAAGCUAUUdtdt) and ASIC2a (si-ASIC2a, AGGCCAACUUCAAACACUAdtdt) have been validated in vitro in COS-7 cells transfected with myc-ASIC1a, ASIC1b, myc-ASIC2a or myc-ASIC2b, and the relevant siRNA or a control siRNA (si-CTR, GCUCACACUACGCAGAGAUdtdt) with TransIT-LT1 and transIT-TKO (Mirus), respectively. Cells were lysed 48 h after transfection and processed for western blot analysis to assess the amount of ASIC1a protein with the anti-Myc A14 antibody (1:500; Santa Cruz Biotechnology) or the anti-ASIC1 antibody (N271/44; 1:300; NeuroMab) and a monoclonal antibody against actin (AC-40; 1:1,000; Sigma) as a loading control. siRNAs were intrathecally injected into mice (2 µg per mouse at a ratio of 1:4 (w/v) with i-Fect (Neuromics)) twice a day for 3 days. After 3 days of treatment, the paw-flick latency was measured and the residual effect of mambalgin-1 (intrathecal or intraplantar, 34 µM) or the carrageenan (intraplantar, 2%)-induced hyperalgesia was tested. For validation of the in vivo effect of the siRNAs, lumbar DRGs or lumbar dorsal spinal cord were removed after the last siRNA injection for total RNA isolation (RNeasy kits, Qiagen) followed by cDNA synthesis (AMV First-Strand cDNA synthesis kit (Invitrogen) and High Capacity RNA-to-cDNA Kit, (Applied Biosystems)). The relative amounts of ASIC transcripts were evaluated by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR in a Light-Cycler 480 (Roche Products). Pre-designed and validated TaqMan assays for ASIC1 (ASIC1a and ASIC1b; Mm01305998_mH), ASIC1a (Mm01305996_m1), ASIC2 (ASIC2a and ASIC2b; Mm00475691_m1), ASIC3 (Mm00805460_m1) and 18S ribosomal RNA (Mm03928990_g1) were from Applied Biosystems. Each cDNA sample was run in triplicate and results were normalized against 18S and converted to fold induction relative to control siRNA treatment...

β-arrestin siRNA Delivery in vivo and Increased Analgesia

I have reported use of our i-FectTM siRNA delivery kit for gene expression analysis studies of Cav1.2, DOR, hTERT, The β3 subunit of the Na+,K+-ATPase, rSNSR1, NTS1. NAV1.8, , TRPV1, Survivin, Flaviviruses and more.

I would like to congratulate Dr. C.R. Lin and his team at National Taiwan University College of Medicine for silencing β-arrestin expression in vivo and the impact on opioid based analgesia. The results could be good news for improving opioid based pain therapies: C.-H.Yang, H.-W. Huang, K.-H.Chen, Y.-S.Chen, S.-M.Sheen-Chen and C.-R.Lin. Antinociceptive potentiation and attenuation of tolerance by intrathecal β-arrestin 2 small interfering RNA in rats. Br. J. Anaesth. (2011) doi: 10.1093/bja/aer291.

Background: Tolerance to the analgesic effect of opioids complicates the management of persistent pain states. We tested whether the intrathecal infusion of small interfering RNA (siRNA) against β-arrestin 2 would reduce tolerance to chronic morphine use and the severity of precipitated morphine withdrawal.

Methods: Intrathecal β-arrestin 2 (2 μg siRNA per 10 μl per rat) was injected once daily for 3 days. Rats then received a continuous intrathecal infusion of morphine (2 nmol h−1) or saline for 7 days. Daily tail-flick (TF) and intrathecal morphine challenge tests were performed to assess the effect of intrathecal β-arrestin 2 siRNA on antinociception and tolerance to morphine. Naloxone withdrawal (2 mg kg−1) was performed to assess morphine dependence.
Results: In the daily TF test, the antinociception of intrathecal morphine was increased and maintained in rats receiving β-arrestin 2 siRNA compared with the control group (morphine alone). In the probe response test, rats receiving morphine infusion with β-arrestin 2 siRNA treatment showed a significant left shift in their dose–response curve, as measured by per cent maximal possible effect (MPE), such that the AD50 was significantly decreased by a factor of 5.6 when compared with that of morphine-infused rats. In the naloxone-induced withdrawal tests, rats receiving β-arrestin 2 siRNA injection with morphine infusion showed a significant reduction in four of the six signs of withdrawal.
Conclusions: We show here that intrathecal β-arrestin 2 siRNA in rats enhances analgesia and attenuates naloxone-induced withdrawal symptoms. This may warrant further investigation in the context of long-term use of intrathecal opioids for controlling chronic pain.

PKA+siRNA Block Hyperalgesia

I have reported use of our i-Fect^TM 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.

The data in this pub indicates that selective knock-down of spinal PKA activity by intrathecal (i.th.) pretreatment of rats with a PKA-selective small interference RNA (siRNA) mixture significantly attenuates sustained morphine-mediated augmentation of spinal CGRP immunoreactivity, thermal hyperalgesia, mechanical allodynia and antinociceptive tolerance. The present findings indicate that sustained morphine-mediated activation of spinal cAMP/PKA-dependent signaling may play an important role in opioid induced hyperalgesia: S. Tumati, W.R. Roeskea, T.M. Largent-Milnesa, T.W. Vanderaha, and EV Varga. Intrathecal PKA-selective siRNA treatment blocks sustained morphine-mediated pain sensitization and antinociceptive tolerance in rats. doi:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2011.04.036.

Figure: Intrathecal PKA-selective siRNA treatment blocks the development of morphine antinociceptive tolerance.

Male Sprague Dawley rats were pretreated i.th. with vehicle (inverted triangle) or PKA-selective siRNA (circle) for 3 days. After the pretreatments, the animals received continuous saline (open symbols, error bars within the symbol) or morphine (45 nmol/μl/h) (closed symbols, error bars within the symbol) infusion for 6 days, with continued i.th. siRNA or vehicle injections on alternate days. Sustained (6 days) systemic morphine (45 nmol/μl/h) infusion caused a rightward shift in the dose-response curve, with the previous A90 dose causing only 20±1% MPE (**p < 0.01 relative to control, one-way ANOVA, n=5). Intrathecal PKAselective siRNA pre-treatment greatly attenuated sustained morphine-mediated rightward shift in the morphine dose-response curve. Thus, re-challenge with the naive A90 dose (10 μg/5μl) produced 93±2% antinociception in the PKA-selective siRNA pre-treated rat**p < 0.01 relative to vehicle pre-treated morphine-infused rats, one-way ANOVA, n=5). 

Transfection Kits and Related Reagents:

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.
n-Fect™ -A cationic lipid that has been specifically formulated for nervous system  applications. n-Fect provides higher transfection efficiency than  other commercially available broad-spectrum transfection reagents for glial cells, neuronal cell lines, and certain primary neuronal  cultures.
n-Blast™ -A broad-spectrum  transfection reagent successfully used in many cell types commonly used by neuroscientist.
 pn-Fect™ -The latest advance in transfection technology for primary neuronal  cells. This unique reagent provides ultra-high plasmid DNA delivery efficiencies and low cytotoxicity compared to competitive reagents.
p-Fect™ -Designed to delivery plasmids, DNA or RNA to hard to transfect Cell Lines.
pro-Fect™ -Is a unique  lipid-based formulation that allows the delivery of proteins,  peptides or other bioactive molecules into a broad range of cell  types.
Penatratin-1™ -A peptide for  delivering small molecules into Neurons and other cells. MP  Biomedical is the manufacturer of Penetratin-1
MATra™ Products-Provides a system for Magnetically Driving the transfection process enhancing
the performance of transfectants.
Other Cells-Competent mammalian cells by Category
Primary Neurons and Astrocytes 

I'll be posting more soon.

i-Fect and siRNA Delvery to Toll-like receptor 4

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

These represent potential targets for Pain, Cancer and Infectious Disease Therapies.

The latest study involves successful knockdown of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4):

Wu Fx, Bian Jj, Miao Xr, Huang Sd, Xu Xw, Gong Dj, Sun Ym, Lu Zj, Yu Wf. Intrathecal siRNA against Toll-like receptor 4 reduces nociception in a rat model of neuropathic pain. Int J Med Sci 2010; 7:251-259.

Background: Neuropathic pain is characterized by hyperalgesia, allodynia and spontaneous pain. It often occurs as a result of injury to peripheral nerves, dorsal root ganglions (DRG), spinal cord, or brain. Recent studies have suggested that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) might play a role in neuropathic pain. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study, we investigated the role of TLR4 in a rat chronic constriction injury (CCI) model and explored the feasibility of treating neuropathic pain by inhibiting TLR4. Our results demonstrated that intrathecal siRNA-mediated suppression of TLR4 attenuated CCI-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia through inhibiting the activation of NF-κB p65 and production of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α and IL-1β). Conclusions/Significance: These findings suggest that suppression of TLR4 mediated by intrathecally administered siRNA may be a new strategy for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Images: Screening siRNA for an efficient suppression of TLR4 expression in vitro. HEK-293 cells were co-transfected with both pEGFRC1-TLR4 and either one of three independent siRNA oligonucleotides targeting TLR4 (TLR4-siRNA1-3) or a control siRNA (MM-siRNA). Two days after transfection, EGFP fluorescence was observed under microscope (A) or quantified by flow cytometry (B). (A) EGFP fluorescence under an inverted fluorescence microscope (×100) or cell density under an optical microscope (×100). A, control; B, siRNA1; C, siRNA2; D, siRNA3. (B) The quantification of TLR4-EGFP fluorescence intensity upon siRNA knockdown was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry results revealed that all 3 siRNAs had efficient inhibition on GFP fluorescence, and TLR4-siRNA2 was the most potent.