OBJECTIVE To search for new targets and novel methods of anti-leukemia treatment and to discuss the mechanism of silencing the livin gene using small RNA interference technology to induce apoptosis in the K562 leukemia cell line. METHODS We designed and synthesized livin-specific small interference RNA (siRNA). Transfected K562 cells were cultured. Reverse-transcription polymer chain reaction...

Schistosomes are multicellular parasites of humans exhibiting interesting biological adaptations to their parasitic lifestyle. Concerted and in depth analyses of these adaptations and their cell and molecular biology requires further development of molecular genetic tools in schistosomes. In the current study, we demonstrate that a Gaussia luciferase reporter leads to significantly higher level...

Cationic polymers have been regarded as promising non-viral gene carriers because of their advantages over viral gene vectors, such as low cost, a high level of safety and easy manipulation. However, their poor transfection efficiency in the presence of serum and high toxicity are still limiting issues for clinical applications. In addition, the lack of adequate understanding of the gene delive...

Amine end-modified poly(β-amino ester)s (PBAEs) have generated interest as efficient, biodegradable polymeric carriers for plasmid DNA (pDNA). For cationic, non-degradable polymers, such as polyethylenimine (PEI), the polymer molecular weight (MW) and molecular weight distribution (MWD) significantly affect transfection activity and cytotoxicity. The effect of MW on DNA transfection activity fo...

Expression of heterologous proteins in adult mammalian neurons is a valuable technique for the study of neuronal function. The post-mitotic nature of mature neurons prevents effective DNA transfection using simple, cationic lipid-based methods. Adequate heterologous protein expression is often only achievable using complex techniques that, in many cases, are associated with substantial toxicity...

objective(s): pei based nanoparticle (np) due to dual capabilities of proton sponge and dna binding is known as powerful tool for nucleic acid delivery to cells. however, serious cytotoxicity and complicated conditions, which govern nps properties and its interactions with cells practically, hindered achievement to high transfection efficiency. here, we have tried to optimize the properties of ...

The aim of this work was to develop a procedure for the lipid-mediated transfection of DNA into normal adult human hepatocytes in culture. Cells were plated in a serum-free culture medium at various cell densities, on plastic or collagen-coated dishes, both in the absence and in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF). The cells were incubated for various periods of time with mixtures of ...

A simple approach to the mechanical modulation of layer-by-layer (LbL) films is through manipulation of the film assembly. Here, we report results based on altering the salt concentration during film assembly and its effect on film rigidity. Based on changes in film rigidity, cell adhesion characteristics and transfection activity were investigated in vitro. LbL films consisting of reducible hy...

Specific mRNA degradation mediated by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) interference (RNAi) is a powerful way of suppressing gene expression in plants, nematodes, and fungal, insect, and protozoan systems. However, only a few cases of RNAi have been reported in mammalian systems. Here, we investigated the feasibility of the RNAi strategy in several mammalian cells by using the enhanced green fluoresc...

Decrease in expression of the tumor suppressor microRNA-138 (miR-138) correlates well with an increase in telomerase activity in many human cancers. The ability of almost all human cancer cells to grow indefinitely is dependent on presence of telomerase activity. The catalytic component of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) regulates telomerase activity in most of the human cancers ...