Premium
Short interfering RNA‐induced gene silencing is transmitted between cells from the mammalian central nervous system
Author(s) -
Zhao TianYong,
Zou ShiPing,
Alimova Yelena V.,
Wang Guoying,
Hauser Kurt F.,
Ghandour M. Said,
Knapp Pamela E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.03974.x
Subject(s) - gene silencing , small interfering rna , tensin , pten , transfection , biology , rna interference , protein kinase b , microbiology and biotechnology , argonaute , rna induced silencing complex , cancer research , rna , cell culture , pi3k/akt/mtor pathway , gene , signal transduction , genetics
Abstract Although short interfering RNA (siRNA)‐induced gene silencing can be transmitted between cells in plants and in Caenorhabditis elegans , this phenomenon has been barely studied in mammalian cells. Both immortalized oligodendrocytes and SNB19 glioblastoma cells were transfected with siRNA constructs for phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) or Akt/protein kinase B (Akt). Co‐cultures were established between silenced cells and non‐silenced cells which were hygromycin resistant and/or expressed green fluorescent protein. After fluorescence sorting or hygromycin selection to remove the silenced cells, the expression of PTEN or Akt genes in the originally unsilenced cells was in all cases significantly decreased. Importantly, silencing did not occur in transwell culture studies, suggesting that transmission of the silencing signal requires a close association between cells. These results provide the first direct demonstration that an siRNA‐induced silencing signal can be transmitted between mammalian CNS cells.