Non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) genes have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their widespread involvement in physiological and pathological processes and regulatory networks. The study of the function and molecular partners of ncRNAs opens up opportunities for the early diagnosis and treatment of previously incurable diseases. However, the classical "loss-of-function" approach in ncRNA function analysis is challenged due to some specific issues. Here, we have studied the potency of two CRISPR/Cas9 variants, wild-type (SpCas9wt) and nickase (SpCas9D10A) programmable nucleases, for the editing of extended DNA sequences in human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Editing the genes of fibrosis-related hsa-miR-21-5p and hsa-miR-29c-3p, we have shown that a pair of SpCas9D10A molecules can effectively disrupt miRNA genes within the genomes of MSCs. This leads not only to a decrease in the level of knockout miRNA in MSCs and MSC-produced extracellular vesicles, but also to a change in cell physiology and the antifibrotic properties of the cell secretome. These changes correlate well with previously published data for the knockdown of certain miRNAs. The proposed approach can be used to knock out ncRNA genes within the genomes of MSCs or similar cell types in order to study their function in biological processes.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10514828 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ncrna9050049 | DOI Listing |
Sci Rep
December 2024
Department of Drug Prohibition and Public Security, Criminal Investigation Police University of China, Shenyang, 110035, China.
Methamphetamine use disorder has emerged as a significant public health concern globally. This study endeavors to elucidate the alterations in expression changes of miRNAs in the plasma of methamphetamine use disorder and elucidate the alterations in miRNA expression in the plasma of individuals with methamphetamine use disorder and investigate the relationship between these differentially expressed miRNAs and the disorder itself, cravings for methamphetamine, and associated mental disorders. Furthermore, the study seeks to clarify the expression of downstream target molecules of specific miRNAs in the plasma of methamphetamine use disorder, assess the diagnostic utility of these miRNAs and their target molecules, explore their potential as biomarkers, and identify potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of methamphetamine use disorder.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Department of Genetics, Yale University, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, 06510, CT, USA.
The cis-regulatory elements encoded in an mRNA determine its stability and translational output. While there has been a considerable effort to understand the factors driving mRNA stability, the regulatory frameworks governing translational control remain more elusive. We have developed a novel massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA) to measure mRNA translation, named Nascent Peptide Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (NaP-TRAP).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
Programmable and modular systems capable of orthogonal genomic and transcriptomic perturbations are crucial for biological research and treating human genetic diseases. Here, we present the minimal versatile genetic perturbation technology (mvGPT), a flexible toolkit designed for simultaneous and orthogonal gene editing, activation, and repression in human cells. The mvGPT combines an engineered compact prime editor (PE), a fusion activator MS2-p65-HSF1 (MPH), and a drive-and-process multiplex array that produces RNAs tailored to different types of genetic perturbation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
The CRISPR-associated endonuclease Cas9 derived from prokaryotes is used as a genome editing, which targets specific genomic loci by single guide RNAs (sgRNAs). The eukaryotes, the target of genome editing, store their genome DNA in chromatin, in which the nucleosome is a basic unit. Despite previous structural analyses focusing on Cas9 cleaving free DNA, structural insights into Cas9 targeting of DNA within nucleosomes are limited, leading to uncertainties in understanding how Cas9 operates in the eukaryotic genome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Glioblastoma is immunologically "cold" and resistant to single-agent immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Our previous study of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab in surgically-accessible recurrent glioblastoma identified a molecular signature of response to ICI and suggested that neoadjuvant pembrolizumab may improve survival. To increase the power of this observation, we enrolled an additional 25 patients with a primary endpoint of evaluating the cell cycle gene signature associated with neoadjuvant pembrolizumab and performed bulk-RNA seq on resected tumor tissue (NCT02852655).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!