RNA/aTNA Chimeras: RNAi Effects and Nucleases Resistance of Single and Double Stranded RNAs
The RNA interference pathway (RNAi) is a specific and powerful biological process, triggered by small non-coding RNA molecules and involved in gene expression regulation. In this work, we explored the possibility of increasing the biological stability of these RNA molecules by replacing their natura...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2014-11-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/19/11/17872 |
| _version_ | 1811338384036069376 |
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| author | Adele Alagia Montserrat Terrazas Ramon Eritja |
| author_facet | Adele Alagia Montserrat Terrazas Ramon Eritja |
| author_sort | Adele Alagia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The RNA interference pathway (RNAi) is a specific and powerful biological process, triggered by small non-coding RNA molecules and involved in gene expression regulation. In this work, we explored the possibility of increasing the biological stability of these RNA molecules by replacing their natural ribose ring with an acyclic L-threoninol backbone. In particular, this modification has been incorporated at certain positions of the oligonucleotide strands and its effects on the biological properties of the siRNA have been evaluated. In vitro cellular RNAi assays have demonstrated that the L-threoninol backbone is well tolerated by the RNAi machinery in both double and single-stranded fashion, with activities significantly higher than those evinced by the unmodified RNAs and comparable to the well-known phosphorothioate modification. Additionally, this modification conferred extremely strong resistance to serum and 3′/5′-exonucleases. In view of these results, we applied this modification to the knockdown of a therapeutically relevant human gene such as apolipoprotein B (ApoB). Further studies on the activation of the innate immune system showed that L-threoninol-modified RNAs are slightly less stimulatory than unmodified RNAs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:09:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0f4a02a48fb94d5b891708c4e9ab7410 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:09:55Z |
| publishDate | 2014-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-0f4a02a48fb94d5b891708c4e9ab74102022-12-22T02:35:56ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492014-11-011911178721789610.3390/molecules191117872molecules191117872RNA/aTNA Chimeras: RNAi Effects and Nucleases Resistance of Single and Double Stranded RNAsAdele Alagia0Montserrat Terrazas1Ramon Eritja2Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), CIBER-BBN Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Jordi Girona 18–26, Barcelona 08034, SpainInstitute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), CIBER-BBN Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Jordi Girona 18–26, Barcelona 08034, SpainInstitute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), CIBER-BBN Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Jordi Girona 18–26, Barcelona 08034, SpainThe RNA interference pathway (RNAi) is a specific and powerful biological process, triggered by small non-coding RNA molecules and involved in gene expression regulation. In this work, we explored the possibility of increasing the biological stability of these RNA molecules by replacing their natural ribose ring with an acyclic L-threoninol backbone. In particular, this modification has been incorporated at certain positions of the oligonucleotide strands and its effects on the biological properties of the siRNA have been evaluated. In vitro cellular RNAi assays have demonstrated that the L-threoninol backbone is well tolerated by the RNAi machinery in both double and single-stranded fashion, with activities significantly higher than those evinced by the unmodified RNAs and comparable to the well-known phosphorothioate modification. Additionally, this modification conferred extremely strong resistance to serum and 3′/5′-exonucleases. In view of these results, we applied this modification to the knockdown of a therapeutically relevant human gene such as apolipoprotein B (ApoB). Further studies on the activation of the innate immune system showed that L-threoninol-modified RNAs are slightly less stimulatory than unmodified RNAs.http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/19/11/17872RNAisiRNA3′-overhang chemical modificationsingle-stranded siRNAL-threoninol3′-exonuclease5′-exonucleaseserum resistanceApoB gene |
| spellingShingle | Adele Alagia Montserrat Terrazas Ramon Eritja RNA/aTNA Chimeras: RNAi Effects and Nucleases Resistance of Single and Double Stranded RNAs Molecules RNAi siRNA 3′-overhang chemical modification single-stranded siRNA L-threoninol 3′-exonuclease 5′-exonuclease serum resistance ApoB gene |
| title | RNA/aTNA Chimeras: RNAi Effects and Nucleases Resistance of Single and Double Stranded RNAs |
| title_full | RNA/aTNA Chimeras: RNAi Effects and Nucleases Resistance of Single and Double Stranded RNAs |
| title_fullStr | RNA/aTNA Chimeras: RNAi Effects and Nucleases Resistance of Single and Double Stranded RNAs |
| title_full_unstemmed | RNA/aTNA Chimeras: RNAi Effects and Nucleases Resistance of Single and Double Stranded RNAs |
| title_short | RNA/aTNA Chimeras: RNAi Effects and Nucleases Resistance of Single and Double Stranded RNAs |
| title_sort | rna atna chimeras rnai effects and nucleases resistance of single and double stranded rnas |
| topic | RNAi siRNA 3′-overhang chemical modification single-stranded siRNA L-threoninol 3′-exonuclease 5′-exonuclease serum resistance ApoB gene |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/19/11/17872 |
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