RNA Interference Agents Research Articles

Orthostatic hypotension in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis: epidemiology, diagnosis and management

PurposeNeurogenic orthostatic hypotension is a prominent and disabling manifestation of autonomic dysfunction in patients with hereditary transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis affecting an estimated 40–60% of patients, and reducing their quality of life. We reviewed the epidemiology and pathophysiology of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension in patients with hereditary TTR amyloidosis, summarize non-pharmacologic and pharmacological treatment strategies and discuss the impact of novel disease-modifying treatments such as transthyretin stabilizers (diflunisal, tafamidis) and RNA interference agents (patisiran, inotersen).MethodsLiterature review.ResultsOrthostatic hypotension in patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis can be a consequence of heart failure due to amyloid cardiomyopathy or volume depletion due to diarrhea or drug effects. When none of these circumstances are apparent, orthostatic hypotension is usually neurogenic, i.e., caused by impaired norepinephrine release from sympathetic postganglionic neurons, because of neuronal amyloid fibril deposition.ConclusionsWhen recognized, neurogenic orthostatic hypotension can be treated. Discontinuation of potentially aggravating medications, patient education and non-pharmacologic approaches should be applied first. Droxidopa (Northera®), a synthetic norepinephrine precursor, has shown efficacy in controlled trials of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension in patients with hereditary TTR amyloidosis and is now approved in the US and Asia. Although they may be useful to ameliorate autonomic dysfunction in hereditary TTR amyloidosis, the impact of disease-modifying treatments on neurogenic orthostatic hypotension is still uninvestigated.

The year's new drugs and biologics 2018: Part I.

Sixty-four new drugs and biologics reached their first global markets in 2018, the greatest number in at least a decade. In addition, 19 important new line extensions (new indications, new combinations or new formulations of previously marketed drugs) were introduced over the course of 2018. Twenty-three other new products and new line extensions were approved but not launched before December 31. As has been the trend in recent years, oncology was the most active therapeutic area in terms of new launches, with cancer drugs accounting for 25% of all novel drugs and biologics introduced worldwide last year. Eight first-in-class agents were launched for the first time in 2018, including the first RNA interference agent as well as the photo-finish approval and rollout of the first three members of a radically different class of non-vasoconstricting antimigraine agents, the anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies. Twenty-nine of the drugs launched last year were designated orphan drugs, reflecting the continued upswing in investment in the area of neglected diseases. This is especially true in the U.S., which welcomed 25 of the newly launched orphan drugs. Overall, the U.S. was the most active market for new drugs and biologics, accounting for two-thirds of all new launches in 2018.

ARB-1740, a RNA Interference Therapeutic for Chronic Hepatitis B Infection.

Current approved nucleoside analogue treatments for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are effective at controlling viral titer but are not curative and have minimal impact on the production of viral proteins such as surface antigen (HBsAg), the HBV envelope protein believed to play a role in maintaining the immune tolerant state required for viral persistence. Novel agents are needed to effect HBV cure, and reduction of HBV antigenemia may potentiate activation of effective and long-lasting host immune control. ARB-1740 is a clinical stage RNA interference agent composed of three siRNAs delivered using lipid nanoparticle technology. In a number of cell and animal models of HBV, ARB-1740 caused HBV RNA reduction, leading to inhibition of multiple elements of the viral life cycle including HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBcAg viral proteins as well as replication marker HBV DNA. ARB-1740 demonstrated pan-genotypic activity in vitro and in vivo, targeting three distinct highly conserved regions of the HBV genome, and effectively inhibited replication of nucleoside analogue-resistant HBV variants. Combination of ARB-1740 with a capsid inhibitor and pegylated interferon-alpha led to greater liver HBsAg reduction which correlated with more robust induction of innate immune responses in a human chimeric mouse model of HBV. The preclinical profile of ARB-1740 demonstrates the promise of RNA interference and HBV antigen reduction in treatment strategies driving toward a cure for HBV.

Platinated graphene oxide: A nanoplatform for efficient gene-chemo combination cancer therapy

Cisplatin (CisPt) is one of the most effective antitumor drugs against a wide range of solid cancers, and recent studies have indicated that combination of CisPt and RNA interference (RNAi) agents would effectively enhance therapeutic index, while the development of simple yet robust dual-delivery systems still remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrated that platinated graphene oxide is an excellent platform to achieve such goal. Nano-Graphene oxide (NGO) was easily platinated by CisPt, and the resulting CisPt/NGO was characterized by several aspects. As a proof-of-concept, an antisense microRNA-21 (Anti-miR-21) was employed as a potential RNAi agent. While most previous work functionalized NGO with cationic polymers for gene delivery, we demonstrated that platinated NGO is a potent carrier to load Anti-miR-21 with improved capacity and adsorption stability. With Anti-miR-21 loading, the system displayed significantly enhanced cytotoxicity to cancer cells, suggesting a synergistic effect. Finally, the underlying mechanism of the improved efficacy was explored, which can be ascribed to the cell apoptosis induced by Anti-miR-21 for gene silencing. This work demonstrated platinated graphene oxide as an effective nanocarrier to co-deliver CisPt and gene therapy for the treatment of cancer.

Preclinical Profile of AB-423, an Inhibitor of Hepatitis B Virus Pregenomic RNA Encapsidation.

AB-423 is a member of the sulfamoylbenzamide (SBA) class of hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid inhibitors in phase 1 clinical trials. In cell culture models, AB-423 showed potent inhibition of HBV replication (50% effective concentration [EC50] = 0.08 to 0.27 μM; EC90 = 0.33 to 1.32 μM) with no significant cytotoxicity (50% cytotoxic concentration > 10 μM). Addition of 40% human serum resulted in a 5-fold increase in the EC50s. AB-423 inhibited HBV genotypes A through D and nucleos(t)ide-resistant variants in vitro Treatment of HepDES19 cells with AB-423 resulted in capsid particles devoid of encapsidated pregenomic RNA and relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA), indicating that it is a class II capsid inhibitor. In a de novo infection model, AB-423 prevented the conversion of encapsidated rcDNA to covalently closed circular DNA, presumably by interfering with the capsid uncoating process. Molecular docking of AB-423 into crystal structures of heteroaryldihydropyrimidines and an SBA and biochemical studies suggest that AB-423 likely also binds to the dimer-dimer interface of core protein. In vitro dual combination studies with AB-423 and anti-HBV agents, such as nucleos(t)ide analogs, RNA interference agents, or interferon alpha, resulted in additive to synergistic antiviral activity. Pharmacokinetic studies with AB-423 in CD-1 mice showed significant systemic exposures and higher levels of accumulation in the liver. A 7-day twice-daily administration of AB-423 in a hydrodynamic injection mouse model of HBV infection resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in serum HBV DNA levels, and combination with entecavir or ARB-1467 resulted in a trend toward antiviral activity greater than that of either agent alone, consistent with the results of the in vitro combination studies. The overall preclinical profile of AB-423 supports its further evaluation for safety, pharmacokinetics, and antiviral activity in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Deconvolution of seed and RNA-binding protein crosstalk in RNAi-based functional genomics.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a major powerful platform for gene perturbations, but is restricted by off-target mechanisms. Communication between RNAs, small RNAs, and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) is a pervasive feature of cellular RNA networks. We present a new crosstalk scenario, designated as “crosstalk with endogenous RBPs (ceRBP)”, where siRNAs or miRNAs with seed sequences that overlap RBP motifs have extended biological effects by perturbing endogenous RBP activity. Systematic analysis of siRNA off-target data and genome-wide RNAi cancer lethality screens using 501 human cancer cell lines, a cancer dependency map, revealed that seed-to-RBP crosstalk is widespread, contributes to off-target activity, and affects RNAi performance. Specifically, deconvolution of the interactions between gene knockdown and seed-mediated silencing effects in the cancer dependency map showed widespread contributions of seed-to-RBP crosstalk to growth-phenotype modulation. These findings suggest a novel aspect of miRNA biology and offer a basis for improvement of RNAi agents and RNAi-based functional genomics.

Abstract 5131: Efficient delivery of siRNA targeted CCDC88A mRNA to pancreatic cancer tumor inhibits the invasiveness and metastasis

Abstract Introduction: We identified CCDC88A messenger RNA (mRNA) that accumulates in lamellipodia by binding to an RNA-binding protein IGF2BP3 with a next generation sequencer. The objectives of this study are as follows: (1) To identify CCDC88A specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as RNA interference agents that have an inhibitory effect on the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells in a mouse model of the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer; and (2) To develop a nucleic-acid delivery system to efficiently transport the siRNAs to PDAC tissue. Methods: After intravenous injection of CCDC88A-specific siRNAs supplemented with folic acids that can bind to the folic acid receptor—which are highly expressed on pancreatic cancer cells—and polyethylene glycol-chitosan oligosaccharide nanoparticles to a mouse model of invasion and metastasis in which a human pancreatic cell line was transplanted to induce tumor formation in the mouse pancreas, accumulation of the siRNAs in the pancreatic cancer tissue was determined by using an in vivo imaging system. After CCDC88A-specific siRNA accumulation in the pancreatic cancer tissue was identified, invasion to the retroperitoneum as well as metastasis to the lung or liver from the human primary pancreatic tumor was compared between the mice in which CCDC88A-specific siRNA accumulation was identified and those receiving a scrambled control siRNA. Results: CCDC88A-specific siRNAs could be delivered to the pancreatic cancer cells of cancer-bearing nude mice by supplementation with folic acids and chitosan oligosaccharide nanoparticles. Supplementation with folic acids and chitosan oligosaccharide nanoparticles caused no hemolysis and had no effect on liver, kidney, or pancreatic function. Invasion to the retroperitoneum and metastasis to the lung or liver from the primary pancreatic cancer were suppressed in cancer-bearing nude mice by administration of those siRNAs, which target CCDC88A mRNA accumulated in lamellipodia of pancreatic cancer cells. Conclusions: This study suggests the potential to develop a siRNA drug to inhibit the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: Keisuke Taniuchi, Toshio Yawata, Tetsuya Ueba, Toshiji Saibara. Efficient delivery of siRNA targeted CCDC88A mRNA to pancreatic cancer tumor inhibits the invasiveness and metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5131. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5131

Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive Multistaged Nanoplatform for Systemic RNAi and Cancer Therapy.

While RNA interference (RNAi) therapy has demonstrated significant potential for cancer treatment, the effective and safe systemic delivery of RNAi agents such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) into tumor cells in vivo remains challenging. We herein reported a unique multistaged siRNA delivery nanoparticle (NP) platform, which is comprised of (i) a polyethylene glycol (PEG) surface shell, (ii) a sharp tumor microenvironment (TME) pH-responsive polymer that forms the NP core, and (iii) charge-mediated complexes of siRNA and tumor cell-targeting- and penetrating-peptide-amphiphile (TCPA) that are encapsulated in the NP core. When the rationally designed, long circulating polymeric NPs accumulate in tumor tissues after intravenous administration, the targeted siRNA-TCPA complexes can be rapidly released via TME pH-mediated NP disassembly for subsequent specific targeting of tumor cells and cytosolic transport, thus achieving efficient gene silencing. In vivo results further demonstrate that the multistaged NP delivery of siRNA against bromodomain 4 (BRD4), a recently discovered target protein that regulates the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa), can significantly inhibit PCa tumor growth.

Multifunctional Envelope-Type siRNA Delivery Nanoparticle Platform for Prostate Cancer Therapy.

With the capability of specific silencing of target gene expression, RNA interference (RNAi) technology is emerging as a promising therapeutic modality for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. One key challenge for the clinical applications of RNAi is the safe and effective delivery of RNAi agents such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) to a particular nonliver diseased tissue (e.g., tumor) and cell type with sufficient cytosolic transport. In this work, we proposed a multifunctional envelope-type nanoparticle (NP) platform for prostate cancer (PCa)-specific in vivo siRNA delivery. A library of oligoarginine-functionalized and sharp pH-responsive polymers was synthesized and used for self-assembly with siRNA into NPs with the features of long blood circulation and pH-triggered oligoarginine-mediated endosomal membrane penetration. By further modification with ACUPA, a small molecular ligand specifically recognizing prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) receptor, this envelope-type nanoplatform with multifunctional properties can efficiently target PSMA-expressing PCa cells and silence target gene expression. Systemic delivery of the siRNA NPs can efficiently silence the expression of prohibitin 1 (PHB1), which is upregulated in PCa and other cancers, and significantly inhibit PCa tumor growth. These results suggest that this multifunctional envelope-type nanoplatform could become an effective tool for PCa-specific therapy.

THU-164 - Superior suppression of hepatitis B virus DNA and antigen levels in a chimeric mouse model when BB-103, a DNA-Directed RNA interference agent, is coupled with standard of care drugs

THU-164 - Superior suppression of hepatitis B virus DNA and antigen levels in a chimeric mouse model when BB-103, a DNA-Directed RNA interference agent, is coupled with standard of care drugs

Based on Nucleotides Analysis of Tumor Cell Lines to Construct and Validate a Prediction Model of Mechanisms of Chemotherapeutics.

Cancer is one of the diseases that seriously threaten to human life worldwide. Up to now, chemotherapy remains to be a critical means of cancer treatment, thus the development of chemotherapeutical drugs has become a top priority. An ion pair high performance liquid chromatography (ion pair RP-HPLC) was established for analyzing intracellular nucleotides of tumor cell lines. In this article, a partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) prediction model of mechanisms of chemotherapeutics was established based on four types of drugs with different mechanisms, including antimetabolic agents, antineoplastic agents that affect protein synthesis, agents directly acting on DNA, and RNA interference agents. Then four anti-tumor agents commonly used in clinical were used to validate the availability of the prediction model. Three natural compounds, including 16- dehydropregnenolone (16-DHP), apigenin (API) and diosgenin (DIO), were reported to display anti-tumor effect with unclear mechanisms. The three components were applied to this prediction model firstly. In conclusion, the recognition model was proved to be accurate and feasible to some degree and might become a promising auxiliary method in the process of chemotherapeutic drugs development.

Topical Use of Angiopoietin-like Protein 2 RNAi-loaded Lipid Nanoparticles Suppresses Corneal Neovascularization.

Corneal neovascularization (CNV) is a sight-threatening condition that is encountered in various inflammatory settings including chemical injury. We recently confirmed that angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2) is a potent angiogenic and proinflammatory factor in the cornea, and we have produced a single-stranded proline-modified short hairpin anti-ANGPTL2 RNA interference molecule that is carried in a lipid nanoparticle (ANGPTL2 Li-pshRNA) for topical application. In this study, we have further examined the topical delivery and anti-ANGPTL2 activity of this molecule and have found that fluorescence-labeled ANGPTL2 Li-pshRNA eye drops can penetrate all layers of the cornea and that ANGPTL2 mRNA expression was dramatically inhibited in both epithelium and stroma at 12 and 24 hours after administration. We also examined the inhibitory effect of ANGPTL2 Li-pshRNA on CNV in a mouse chemical injury model and found that the area of angiogenesis was significantly decreased in corneas treated with ANGPTL2 Li-pshRNA eye drops compared to controls. Together, these findings indicate that this modified RNA interference agent is clinically viable in a topical formulation for use against CNV.

Systems approaches to design of targeted therapeutic delivery.

Targeted drug delivery aims to improve therapeutic effects and enable mechanisms that are not feasible for untargeted agents (e.g., due to impermeable biological barriers). To achieve targeting, a drug or its carrier should possess properties providing specific accumulation from circulation at the desired site. There are several examples of systems-inspired approaches that have been applied to achieve this goal. First, proteomics analysis of plasma membrane fraction of the vascular endothelium has identified a series of target molecules and their ligands (e.g., antibodies) that deliver conjugated cargoes to well-defined vascular cells and subcellular compartments. Second, selection of ligands binding to cells of interest using phage display libraries in vitro and in vivo has provided peptides and polypeptides that bind to normal and pathologically altered cells. Finally, large-scale high-throughput combinatorial synthesis and selection of lipid- and polymer-based nanocarriers varying their chemical components has yielded a series of carriers accumulating in diverse organs and delivering RNA interference agents to diverse cells. Together, these approaches offer a basis for systems-based design and selection of targets, targeting molecules, and targeting vehicles. Current studies focus on expanding the arsenal of these and alternative targeting strategies, devising drug delivery systems capitalizing on these strategies and evaluation of their benefit/risk ratio in adequate animal models of human diseases. These efforts, combined with better understanding of mechanisms and unintended consequences of these targeted interventions, need to be ultimately translated into industrial development and the clinical domain.

Functional peptide nanocarriers for delivery of novel anti-RelA RNA interference agents as a topical treatment of atopic dermatitis

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are a potential treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) because they can specifically silence the gene expression of AD-related factors. However, siRNA alone cannot exert a sufficiently strong therapeutic effect due to low delivery efficiency to the target tissues and cells; simply increasing the amount used is not possible due to the possibility of off-target effects. We previously reported a novel class of therapeutic RNA interference (RNAi) agents called nkRNA® and PnkRNA®, which have been shown to be effective in several disease models, have greater resistance to nuclease degradation than canonical siRNAs, and do not induce any immunotoxicity. In the present study, we describe a non-invasive and effective transdermal RNAi therapeutic system for atopic dermatitis that uses the functional cell-penetrating stearoyl-oligopeptide OK-102 as a cytoplasm-responsive nanocarrier for nkRNA® and PnkRNA®. The two RNAi agents were targeted against RelA, a subclass of NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B), and, as part of OK-102 complexes, they strongly silenced RelA mRNA in macrophage cells and demonstrated a significant therapeutic effect in a mouse model of AD. It was shown that OK-102-complexed RNAi agents were an efficient therapeutic system for AD and caused no adverse reactions.

Novel Types of Small RNA Exhibit Sequence- and Target-dependent Angiogenesis Suppression Without Activation of Toll-like Receptor 3 in an Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Mouse Model.

RNA interference (RNAi) has become a powerful tool for suppressing gene expression in vitro and in vivo. A great deal of evidence has demonstrated the potential for the use of synthetic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as therapeutic agents. However, the application of siRNA to clinical medicine is still limited, mainly due to sequence-independent suppression of angiogenesis mediated by Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3). Here, we describe novel types of synthetic RNA, named nkRNA and PnkRNA, that exhibit sequence-specific gene silencing through RNAi without activating TLRs or RIG-I–like receptor signaling. In addition, we confirmed the therapeutic effect for the novel types of RNA in an animal model of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) without retinal degeneration. These data indicate that nkRNA and PnkRNA are of great potential utility as therapies against blinding choroidal neovascularization due to AMD.

Progress in RNAi-mediated Molecular Therapy of Acute and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

Leukemias arise from genetic alterations in normal hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, leading to impaired regulation of proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and survival of the transformed cells. With the advent of RNA interference (RNAi) and the short interfering RNA (siRNA) as its pharmacological mediator, it is becoming possible to modulate specific targets at will. This article summarizes current attempts to utilize RNAi reagents for therapy of leukemias, focusing on acute and chronic myeloid leukemia. We first present unique aspects of RNAi-mediated therapy, followed by a brief background on the delivery technology of RNAi reagents. The need for leukemia-specific delivery of siRNA is discussed by describing approaches that targeted agents to leukemic cells. Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of RNAi agents are then presented, highlighting the critical issues pertinent to emerging siRNA therapy. Efforts to deliver specific RNAi therapies are then summarized in the context of expected clinical outcomes, focusing on limiting leukemic cell survival, sensitizing malignant cells to chemotherapy, mobilization of leukemic cells, and eradication of leukemic stem cells. We conclude with a perspective on the future of RNAi therapy, emphasizing the technological requirements and mechanistic challenges for clinical entry.

A nano-enabled cancer-specific ITCH RNAi chemotherapy booster for pancreatic cancer

Gemcitabine is currently the standard therapy for pancreatic cancer. However, growing concerns over gemcitabine resistance mean that new combinatory therapies are required to prevent loss of efficacy with prolonged treatment. Here, we suggest that this could be achieved through co-administration of RNA interference agents targeting the ubiquitin ligase ITCH. Stable anti-ITCH siRNA and shRNA dendriplexes with a desirable safety profile were prepared using generation 3 poly(propylenimine) dendrimers (DAB-Am16). The complexes were efficiently taken up by human pancreatic cancer cells and produced a 40-60% decrease in ITCH RNA and protein expression in vitro (si/shRNA) and in a xenograft model of pancreatic cancer (shRNA). When co-administered with gemcitabine (100mg/kg/week) at a subtherapeutic dose, treatment with ITCH-shRNA (3x 50mg/week) was able to fully suppress tumour growth for 17days, suggesting that downregulation of ITCH mediated by DAB-Am16/shRNA sensitizes pancreatic cancer to gemcitabine in an efficient and specific manner. From the Clinical EditorGemcitabine delivery to pancreatic cancer often results in the common problem of drug resistance. This team overcame the problem through co-administration of siRNA and shRNA dendriplexes targeting the ubiquitin ligase ITCH.

Abstract 4377: Novel RNAi agent can control HCV replication

Abstract Technique of RNA interference (RNAi) is important for investigating functional gene research and drug target. miRNA-122 (miR-122) is expressed abundantly in liver tissue, and it can control the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication. Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA)-miR-122 was shown to suppress HCV replication through inhibiting miR-122 function. Recently, anti-HCV therapy for chronic hepatitis C by LNA-miR-122 has been applied for clinical study in phase II. We developed alternative chemically modified sponge oligonucleotides (SO) for inhibition of interest miRNA function. In order to find more effective anti-viral agent, we attempted to compare the inhibition effects for viral replication between LNA-miR-122 and SO for miR-122. SO contained triplicated binding sites to miR-122, composed of either DNA or RNA, which were combined with terephthalate or glycine. We chose three types of sequences complementary to target miR-122: one perfect match sequence and two imperfect match sequences (bubble, and bulge). The effects of SOs on HCV replication were assessed by using HCV replicon cells (OR6), which contained full-genome HCV with genotype 1b and luciferase reporter genes. We compared the luciferase activity, the expression of HCV RNA, and the expression of HCV core protein in OR6 cells treated with LNA-miR-122 and several SO constructions. SO composed of terephthalate-bound RNA sequences with bulge-type imperfect complementarity was most effective in inhibiting HCV replication. By real-time qPCR analysis, the expression level of ISG15 and RIG-I in the OR6 cell treated with SO was not significantly higher than those treated with negative control (NC) or LNA. By XTT incorporation assay, the cell proliferation level in OR6 treated with SO was not also significantly affected as compared that treated with NC or LNA. We investigated novel RNAi agent termed SO that could effectively suppress HCV replication as compared LNA-miR-122. SO treatment did not activate the endogenous IFN pathway nor induce the cell mortality. Therefore SO is promising as a novel anti-vial agent. Citation Format: Masahiko Kuroda, Masakatsu Takanashi, Shinichiro Ohno, Yoshiki Murakami. Novel RNAi agent can control HCV replication. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4377. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4377

Efficient Gene Silencing in Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Substrate-Mediated RNA Interference

We described a novel substrate-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) technology to investigate the effect of neural crest marker expression on the multipotency of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). HGFs showed significantly higher neural and chondrogenic differentiation potentials compared with adult bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth. By sending target-specific RNAi agents with the conventional vehicle (PolyFect), we observed that the multipotency of HGFs was closely associated with the expression of neural crest marker gene Forkhead box D3 (FoxD3). Using the novel chitosan substrate-mediated method, we successfully delivered short-hairpin RNA constructs to HGFs grown on chitosan without the use of conventional vehicles. The delivery efficiency measured by flow cytometry showed a 10-fold increase for HGFs on chitosan versus those on culture dish, and the cell viability was >95%. Moreover, HGFs with FoxD3 gene knockdown did not form spheroids on chitosan. Based on this working principle, we further selected the gene-silenced population from HGFs. The nonsilenced HGFs showed much higher neural differentiation ability with the nestin expression 40-fold greater than FoxD3-silenced population after induction, suggesting the feasibility of the method to silence genes. The new substrate-mediated gene silencing platform that combines the use of substrate and RNAi can be used to clarify the functions of important genes without suffering the toxicity.

Toward RNAi Therapy for the Polyglutamine Disease Machado–Joseph Disease

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is a dominantly inherited ataxia caused by a polyglutamine-coding expansion in the ATXN3 gene. Suppressing expression of the toxic gene product represents a promising approach to therapy for MJD and other polyglutamine diseases. We performed an extended therapeutic trial of RNA interference (RNAi) targeting ATXN3 in a mouse model expressing the full human disease gene and recapitulating key disease features. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) encoding a microRNA (miRNA)-like molecule, miRATXN3, was delivered bilaterally into the cerebellum of 6- to 8-week-old MJD mice, which were then followed up to end-stage disease to assess the safety and efficacy of anti-ATXN3 RNAi. Despite effective, lifelong suppression of ATXN3 in the cerebellum and the apparent safety of miRATXN3, motor impairment was not ameliorated in treated MJD mice and survival was not prolonged. These results with an otherwise effective RNAi agent suggest that targeting a large extent of the cerebellum alone may not be sufficient for effective human therapy. Artificial miRNAs or other nucleotide-based suppression strategies targeting ATXN3 more widely in the brain should be considered in future preclinical tests.