Immunostimulatory Motifs Enhance Antiviral siRNAs Targeting Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus is endemic in many regions around the world and remains a significant pandemic threat. To date H5N1 has claimed almost 300 human lives worldwide, with a mortality rate of 60% and has caused the death or culling of hundreds of millions of poultry since its initial outbreak in 1997. We have designed multi-functional RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutics targeting H5N1 that degrade viral mRNA via the RNAi pathway while at the same time augmenting the host antiviral response by inducing host type I interferon (IFN) production. Moreover, we have identified two factors critical for maximising the immunostimulatory properties of short interfering (si)RNAs in chicken cells (i) mode of synthesis and (ii) nucleoside sequence to augment the response to virus. The 5-bp nucleoside sequence 5′-UGUGU-3′ is a key determinant in inducing high levels of expression of IFN -α, -β, -λ and interleukin 1- β in chicken cells. Positioning of this 5′-UGUGU-3′ motif at the 5′- end of the sense strand of siRNAs, but not the 3′- end, resulted in a rapid and enhanced induction of type I IFN. An anti-H5N1 avian influenza siRNA directed against the PB1 gene (PB1-2257) tagged with 5′-UGUGU-3′ induced type I IFN earlier and to a greater extent compared to a non-tagged PB1-2257. Tested against H5N1 in vitro, the tagged PB1-2257 was more effective than non-tagged PB1-2257. These data demonstrate the ability of an immunostimulatory motif to improve the performance of an RNAi-based antiviral, a finding that may influence the design of future RNAi-based anti-influenza therapeutics

Toxicity in mice expressing short hairpin RNAs gives new insight into RNAi

Short hairpin RNAs can provide stable gene silencing via RNA interference. Recent studies have shown toxicity in vivo that appears to be related to saturation of the endogenous microRNA pathway. Will these findings limit the therapeutic use of such hairpins

RNA Interference of Four Genes in Adult Bactrocera dorsalis by Feeding Their dsRNAs

BACKGROUND: RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful method to inhibit gene expression in a sequence specific manner. Recently silencing the target gene through feeding has been successfully carried out in many insect species. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Escherichia coli strain HT115 was genetically engineered to express dsRNA targeting genes that encode ribosomal protein Rpl19, V type ATPase D subunit, the fatty acid elongase Noa and a small GTPase Rab11. qRT-PCR showed that mRNA level of four target genes was reduced compared to ds-egfp control by feeding either engineered bacteria or dsRNAs. The maximum down-regulation of each gene varied from 35% to 100%. Tissue specific examination indicated that RNAi could be observed not only in midgut but also in other tissues like the ovary, nervous system and fat body. Silencing of rab11 through ingestion of dsRNA killed 20% of adult flies. Egg production was affected through feeding ds-noa and ds-rab11 compared to ds-egfp group. Adult flies were continuously fed with dsRNA and bacteria expressing dsRNA for 14 days and up-regulations of target genes were observed during this process. The transcripts of noa showed up-regulation compared to ds-egfp control group in four tissues on day 7 after continuous feeding either dsRNA or engineered bacteria. The maximum over-expression is 21 times compared to ds-egfp control group. Up-regulation of rab11 mRNA level could be observed in testes on day 7 after continuous bacteria treatment and in midgut on day 2 after ds-rab11 treatment. This phenomenon could also be observed in rpl19 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that it is feasible to silence genes by feeding dsRNA and bacteria expressing dsRNA in Bactrocera dorsalis. Additionally the over-expression of the target gene after continuously feeding dsRNA or bacteria was observed

SMURF1 Amplification Promotes Invasiveness in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease, and new therapeutic targets are urgently needed. We previously identified DNA amplification at 7q21-q22 in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Now, by high-resolution genomic profiling of human pancreatic cancer cell lines and human tumors (engrafted in immunodeficient mice to enrich the cancer epithelial fraction), we define a 325 Kb minimal amplicon spanning SMURF1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase and known negative regulator of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) growth inhibitory signaling. SMURF1 amplification was confirmed in primary human pancreatic cancers by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), where 4 of 95 cases (4.2%) exhibited amplification. By RNA interference (RNAi), knockdown of SMURF1 in a human pancreatic cancer line with focal amplification (AsPC-1) did not alter cell growth, but led to reduced cell invasion and anchorage-independent growth. Interestingly, this effect was not mediated through altered TGFβ signaling, assayed by transcriptional reporter. Finally, overexpression of SMURF1 (but not a catalytic mutant) led to loss of contact inhibition in NIH-3T3 mouse embryo fibroblast cells. Together, these findings identify SMURF1 as an amplified oncogene driving multiple tumorigenic phenotypes in pancreatic cancer, and provide a new druggable target for molecularly directed therapy

PTHrP increases transcriptional activity of the integrin subunit α5

Increasing evidence is emerging highlighting the role of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) during metastasis by regulating cell adhesion. The current study demonstrated that modulation of PTHrP expression by PTHrP overexpression and small interfering RNA-induced silencing resulted in changes in cell adhesion and integrin expression. RNA interference of endogenous PTHrP caused a significant reduction in cell adhesion of a breast cancer cell line to collagen type I, fibronectin and laminin (P<0.05) and of a colon cancer cell to collagen type I and fibronectin (P<0.05). Overexpression of PTHrP induced a significant increase in cell adhesion of colon (P<0.0001) and breast (P<0.05) cancer cells to the same extracellular matrix proteins. These PTHrP-mediated effects were attributed to changes in integrin expression as the differences in adhesion profile correlated with the integrin expression profile. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism whereby PTHrP regulates integrin expression, promoter activity of the integrin α5 subunit was analysed and significant increases in transcriptional activity were observed in PTHrP overexpressing cells (P<0.0001), which was dependent on nuclear localisation. These results indicate that modulation of cell adhesion is a normal physiological action of PTHrP, mediated by increasing integrin gene transcription

RNA interference as a key to knockdown overexpressed cyclooxygenase-2 gene in tumour cells

Silencing those genes that are overexpressed in cancer and contribute to the survival and progression of tumour cells is the aim of several researches. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is one of the most intensively studied genes since it is overexpressed in most tumours, mainly in colon cancer. The use of specific COX-2 inhibitors to treat colon cancer has generated great enthusiasm. Yet, the side effects of some inhibitors emerging during long-term treatment have caused much concern. Genes silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) has led to new directions in the field of experimental oncology. In this study, we detected sequences directed against COX-2 mRNA, that potently downregulate COX-2 gene expression and inhibit phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced angiogenesis in vitro in a specific, nontoxic manner. Moreover, we found that the insertion of a specific cassette carrying anti-COX-2 short hairpin RNA sequence into a viral vector (pSUPER.retro) greatly increased silencing potency in a colon cancer cell line (HT29) without activating any interferon response. Phenotypically, COX-2 deficient HT29 cells showed a significant impairment of their in vitro malignant behaviour. Thus, the retroviral approach enhancing COX-2 knockdown, mediated by RNAi, proved to be an useful tool to better understand the role of COX-2 in colon cancer. Furthermore, the higher infection efficiency we observed in tumour cells, if compared to normal endothelial cells, may disclose the possibility to specifically treat tumour cells without impairing endothelial COX-2 activity

Effective Treatment of Respiratory Alphaherpesvirus Infection Using RNA Interference

BACKGROUND: Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), a member of the Alphaherpesvirinae, is spread via nasal secretions and causes respiratory disease, neurological disorders and abortions. The virus is a significant equine pathogen, but current EHV-1 vaccines are only partially protective and effective metaphylactic and therapeutic agents are not available. Small interfering RNAs (siRNA's), delivered intranasally, could prove a valuable alternative for infection control. siRNA's against two essential EHV-1 genes, encoding the viral helicase (Ori) and glycoprotein B, were evaluated for their potential to decrease EHV-1 infection in a mouse model. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FNDINGS: siRNA therapy in vitro significantly reduced virus production and plaque size. Viral titers were reduced 80-fold with 37.5 pmol of a single siRNA or with as little as 6.25 pmol of each siRNA when used in combination. siRNA therapy in vivo significantly reduced viral replication and clinical signs. Intranasal treatment did not require a transport vehicle and proved effective when given up to 12 h before or after infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: siRNA treatment has potential for both prevention and early treatment of EHV-1 infections

Selective cyclooxygenase-2 silencing mediated by engineered E. coli and RNA interference induces anti-tumour effects in human colon cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has an elevated incidence worldwide and represents one of the most aggressive human tumours. Many experimental data provide the evidence of a strong association between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme overexpression and colon tumorigenesis. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, a class of COX-2 inhibitors), partially protects patients from CRC development and progression. Unfortunately, NSAIDs have been shown to induce severe side effects in chronically treated patients and, therefore, new strategies for selective COX-2 blockade are needed. In this paper we present an innovative COX-2 silencing approach mediated by RNA Interference (RNAi) which is a mechanism we have already described as a powerful tool to knockdown COX-2 protein in CRC cells. In particular, we developed an improved method to gain a highly selective COX-2 silencing in CRC cells by a tumour-dependent expression of anti-COX-2 short hairpin RNA (shCOX-2). Moreover, we efficiently delivered shCOX-2 expressing vectors in CRC cells, in vitro and ex vivo, by using engineered Escherichia coli strains, capable of infecting and invading human tumour cells (InvColi). Combining the highly selective shCOX-2 expression and the delivery of COX-2 silencers mediated by InvColi strains, we obtained a strong reduction of both proliferative and invasive behaviour of tumour cells and we also confirmed the pivotal role of COX-2 overexpression for the survival of CRC cells. Finally, ex vivo data showed a global anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour effect elicited by COX-2 silencing

Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) Regulates Primordial Follicle Assembly by Promoting Apoptosis of Oocytes in Fetal and Neonatal Mouse Ovaries

Primordial follicles, providing all the oocytes available to a female throughout her reproductive life, assemble in perinatal ovaries with individual oocytes surrounded by granulosa cells. In mammals including the mouse, most oocytes die by apoptosis during primordial follicle assembly, but factors that regulate oocyte death remain largely unknown. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a key regulator in many essential cellular processes, was shown to be differentially expressed during these processes in mouse ovaries using 2D-PAGE and MALDI-TOF/TOF methodology. A V-shaped expression pattern of PCNA in both oocytes and somatic cells was observed during the development of fetal and neonatal mouse ovaries, decreasing from 13.5 to 18.5 dpc and increasing from 18.5 dpc to 5 dpp. This was closely correlated with the meiotic prophase I progression from pre-leptotene to pachytene and from pachytene to diplotene when primordial follicles started to assemble. Inhibition of the increase of PCNA expression by RNA interference in cultured 18.5 dpc mouse ovaries strikingly reduced the apoptosis of oocytes, accompanied by down-regulation of known pro-apoptotic genes, e.g. Bax, caspase-3, and TNFα and TNFR2, and up-regulation of Bcl-2, a known anti-apoptotic gene. Moreover, reduced expression of PCNA was observed to significantly increase primordial follicle assembly, but these primordial follicles contained fewer guanulosa cells. Similar results were obtained after down-regulation by RNA interference of Ing1b, a PCNA-binding protein in the UV-induced apoptosis regulation. Thus, our results demonstrate that PCNA regulates primordial follicle assembly by promoting apoptosis of oocytes in fetal and neonatal mouse ovaries

Myosin II Motor Proteins with Different Functions Determine the Fate of Lamellipodia Extension during Cell Spreading

Non-muscle cells express multiple myosin-II motor proteins myosin IIA, myosin IIB and myosin IIC transcribed from different loci in the human genome. Due to a significant homology in their sequences, these ubiquitously expressed myosin II motor proteins are believed to have overlapping cellular functions, but the mechanistic details are not elucidated. The present study uncovered a mechanism that coordinates the distinctly localized myosin IIA and myosin IIB with unexpected opposite mechanical roles in maneuvering lamellipodia extension, a critical step in the initiation of cell invasion, spreading, and migration. Myosin IIB motor protein by localizing at the front drives lamellipodia extension during cell spreading. On the other hand, myosin IIA localizes next to myosin IIB and attenuates or retracts lamellipodia extension. Myosin IIA and IIB increase cell adhesion by regulating focal contacts formation in the spreading margins and central part of the spreading cell, respectively. Spreading cells expressing both myosin IIA and myosin IIB motor proteins display an organized actin network consisting of retrograde filaments, arcs and central filaments attached to focal contacts. This organized actin network especially arcs and focal contacts formation in the spreading margins were lost in myosin IIÂ cells. Surprisingly, myosin IIB̂ cells displayed long parallel actin filaments connected to focal contacts in the spreading margins. Thus, with different roles in the regulation of the actin network and focal contacts formation, both myosin IIA and IIB determine the fate of lamellipodia extension during cell spreading