Inhibition of gene function in mammalian cells using short-hairpin RNA (shRNA)

Chitosan-plasmid DNA nanoparticles encoding small hairpin RNA targeting MMP-3 and -13 to inhibit the expression of dedifferentiation related genes in expanded chondrocytes

Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and -13 can lead to the dedifferentiation of expanded chondrocytes. After implanting dedifferentiated cells for cartilage defect repair, graft failure may occur. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) is a powerful genetic tool to reduce the expression of target genes. This study investigated the effects of chitosan-plasmid DNA (pDNA) nanoparticles encoding shRNA targeting MMP-3 and -13 on the dedifferentiation of expanded chondrocytes. The objective was to optimize the parameters of chitosan-pDNA formulation for achieving higher efficiency of pDNA delivery and gene silencing. The chitosan-pDNA nanoparticles were prepared using a complex coacervation process. Then the characteristics including size, shape, stability, and transfection efficiency were compared in different groups. The results indicated that chitosan of 800 kDa at N/P ratio of 4 and pH 7.0 was optimal to prepare chitosan-pDNA nanoparticles. These nanoparticles showed high DNA loading efficiency (95.8 ± 1.5%) and high gene transfection efficiency (24.5 ± 1.6%). After the expanded chondrocytes were transfected by chitosan-pDNA nanoparticles, MMP-3-610 and MMP-13-2024 groups showed greater suppression in mRNA and protein levels. The results indicated that chitosan-pDNA nanoparticles encoding shRNA targeting MMP-3 and -13 had great potential in silencing the dedifferentiation-related genes for regenerating prolonged and endurable cartilage.

Conditional expression of retrovirally delivered anti-MYCN shRNA as an in vitro model system to study neuronal differentiation in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma

Background

Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer derived from immature cells of the sympathetic nervous system. The disease is clinically heterogeneous, ranging from neuronal differentiated benign ganglioneuromas to aggressive metastatic tumours with poor prognosis. Amplification of the MYCN oncogene is a well established poor prognostic factor found in up to 40% of high risk neuroblastomas.

Using neuroblastoma cell lines to study neuronal differentiation in vitro is now well established. Several protocols, including exposure to various agents and growth factors, will differentiate neuroblastoma cell lines into neuron-like cells. These cells are characterized by a neuronal morphology with long extensively branched neurites and expression of several neurospecific markers.

Results

In this study we use retrovirally delivered inducible short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) modules to knock down MYCN expression in MYCN-amplified (MNA) neuroblastoma cell lines. By addition of the inducer doxycycline, we show that the Kelly and SK-N-BE(2) neuroblastoma cell lines efficiently differentiate into neuron-like cells with an extensive network of neurites. These cells are further characterized by increased expression of the neuronal differentiation markers NFL and GAP43. In addition, we show that induced expression of retrovirally delivered anti-MYCN shRNA inhibits cell proliferation by increasing the fraction of MNA neuroblastoma cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and that the clonogenic growth potential of these cells was also dramatically reduced.

Conclusion

We have developed an efficient MYCN-knockdown in vitro model system to study neuronal differentiation in MNA neuroblastomas.

Inhibition of mir-21, which is up-regulated during MYCN knockdown-mediated differentiation, does not prevent differentiation of neuroblastoma cells

BACKGROUND

Neuroblastoma is a malignant childhood tumour arising from precursor cells of the sympathetic nervous system. Genomic amplification of the MYCN oncogene is associated with dismal prognosis. For this group of high-risk tumours, the induction of tumour cell differentiation is part of current treatment protocols. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that effectively reduce the translation of target mRNAs. MiRNAs play an important role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and cancer. In this study, we investigated the role of N-myc on miRNA expression in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. We performed a miRNA profiling study on SK-N-BE (2) cells, and determined differentially expressed miRNAs during differentiation initiated by MYCN knockdown, using anti-MYCN short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) technology.

RESULTS

Microarray analyses revealed 23 miRNAs differentially expressed during the MYCN knockdown-mediated neuronal differentiation of MNA neuroblastoma cells. The expression changes were bidirectional, with 11 and 12 miRNAs being up- and down-regulated, respectively. Among the down-regulated miRNAs, we found several members of the mir-17 family of miRNAs. Mir-21, an established oncomir in a variety of cancer types, became strongly up-regulated upon MYCN knockdown and the subsequent differentiation. Neither overexpression of mir-21 in the high-MYCN neuroblastoma cells, nor repression of increased mir-21 levels during MYCN knockdown-mediated differentiation had any significant effects on cell differentiation or proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe a subset of miRNAs that were altered during the N-myc deprived differentiation of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells. In this context, N-myc acts as both an activator and suppressor of miRNA expression. Mir-21 was up-regulated during cell differentiation, but inhibition of mir-21 did not prevent this process. We were unable to establish a role for this miRNA during differentiation and proliferation of the two neuroblastoma cell lines used in this study.