Mitra Riasi; Elnaz Karbaschian; Ali Javadmanesh
Abstract
DNA-based approaches can now be utilized as low-risk methods to change gene expression. It appears that this approach has the ability to partially replace RNA-based approaches for altering gene expression, which in the majority of cases leads to immunological responses in patients. When utilized as a ...
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DNA-based approaches can now be utilized as low-risk methods to change gene expression. It appears that this approach has the ability to partially replace RNA-based approaches for altering gene expression, which in the majority of cases leads to immunological responses in patients. When utilized as a technique to silence target gene expression, DNA interference (DNAi) is a single-stranded DNA created to complement the upstream region of a gene. This DNAi molecule is stabilized using a variety of chemical changes, including phosphorothioates, methylphosphonate setC, etc. Several studies of the efficient application of DNA-based methods both in eukaryotic cell lines and the therapy of various disorders, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, cancer, etc., have been mentioned. Understanding the DNAi process, its transfer carriers, stabilization techniques, and their limitations is crucial for advancing these applications and predicting the future of DNAi both in basic science and the treatment of disorders brought on by abnormal gene expression. The main purpose of this review is introducing benefits of using DNAi in gene silencing. this review has discussed about different applications of DNAi in drug discovery and treatment, criteria of designing DNAi, possible modifications, introducing different types of carriers and limitations of DNAi administration.
Jawad Kadhim Sallal Al-Jorani; Mohammadreza Nassiry; Ali Javadmanesh
Abstract
Today, ostrich breeding has been widely developed in Iran and other countries due to the ability of this animal to produce quality meat, leather, and oil. However, one of the main problems in breeding them is sex determination using aggressive techniques with low accuracy. This study aimed to determine ...
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Today, ostrich breeding has been widely developed in Iran and other countries due to the ability of this animal to produce quality meat, leather, and oil. However, one of the main problems in breeding them is sex determination using aggressive techniques with low accuracy. This study aimed to determine the sex of immature ostriches using specific primers in a multiplex PCR reaction. This study considered 20 specimens of unspecified immature and six specimens (three adult males and females) of known-sex African ostriches as controls. SS and OSFES primers were used to amplify part of the female-specific sequence and 18S primer was used as a control in a PCR reaction. The presence of SS and OSFES bands in gel electrophoresis indicated the amplification of the desired parts related to the female sex and the absence of these bands indicates the male sex of the species. In total, out of 20 African ostriches studied, 50% of them belonged to females and 50% of them belonged to males. Later, with the growth of immature individuals, the results of this experiment were confirmed. In this study, it was found that the use of feather samples for DNA extraction and multiplex PCR is a suitable, accurate, and cost-effective method in identifying and determining the sex of young ostrich and leads to more real and reliable results, avoiding stress in birds.
Mitra Riasi; Sina Mozaffari Jovin; Ali Javadmanesh
Abstract
Myostatin (MSTN) is primarily expressed in skeletal muscle tissue and acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth by inhibiting differentiation and proliferation of myoblasts. Inhibition of MSTN expression could result in muscular hypertrophy. An effective therapeutic approach based on specific ...
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Myostatin (MSTN) is primarily expressed in skeletal muscle tissue and acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth by inhibiting differentiation and proliferation of myoblasts. Inhibition of MSTN expression could result in muscular hypertrophy. An effective therapeutic approach based on specific silencing of a target gene is provided by RNA interference. The distribution of biologically active small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) inside the target cells/ tissue, is a significant problem due to the limited stability and delivery of siRNAs. Strategies depending on vector delivery have also a limited clinical utility due to safety concerns. Thus direct application of active siRNAs in vivo is the preferred strategy. We described the efficiency of intramuscular and intraperitoneal injections of MSTN-siRNA conjugated with cholesterol into the skeletal muscle of mice. The designed siRNA molecule was complementary to the exon II of the mouse MSTN gene. Mice were injected with a weekly dose of 10 μg/kg conjucated siRNA-cholesterol intraperitoneally or intramuscularly. Our findings suggested that within a few weeks of application, siRNA-treated mice showed a significant increase in muscle mass and suppressed MSTN gene expression. Even though both types of injections increased muscle weight, intramuscular siRNA injections suppressed the MSTN gene more effectively, whereas intraperitoneal RNA injections had a more significant impact on total body weight. The cholesterol-conjugated siRNA platform discussed here may hold promise for treating several skeletal muscle-related diseases, such as atrophic muscle disease, muscular dystrophy, and type II diabetes.
