scholarly journals Exploitation of a Very Small Peptide Nucleic Acid as a New Inhibitor of miR-509-3p Involved in the Regulation of Cystic Fibrosis Disease-Gene Expression

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felice Amato ◽  
Rossella Tomaiuolo ◽  
Fabrizia Nici ◽  
Nicola Borbone ◽  
Ausilia Elce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Peptide Nucleic Acid ◽  
Posttranscriptional Regulation ◽  
Disease Gene ◽  
Md Simulations ◽  
Human Lung Cancer ◽  
Computational Techniques ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Structural Behaviour

Computational techniques, and in particular molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, have been successfully used as a complementary technique to predict and analyse the structural behaviour of nucleic acids, including peptide nucleic acid- (PNA-) RNA hybrids. This study shows that a 7-base long PNA complementary to the seed region of miR-509-3p, one of the miRNAs involved in the posttranscriptional regulation of the CFTR disease-gene of Cystic Fibrosis, and bearing suitable functionalization at its N- and C-ends aimed at improving its resistance to nucleases and cellular uptake, is able to revert the expression of the luciferase gene containing the 3′UTR of the gene in A549 human lung cancer cells, in agreement with the MD results that pointed at the formation of a stable RNA/PNA heteroduplex notwithstanding the short sequence of the latter. The here reported results widen the interest towards the use of small PNAs as effective anti-miRNA agents.

scholarly journals A Peptide-Nucleic Acid Targeting miR-335-5p Enhances Expression of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) Gene with the Possible Involvement of the CFTR Scaffolding Protein NHERF1

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Anna Tamanini ◽  
Enrica Fabbri ◽  
Tiziana Jakova ◽  
Jessica Gasparello ◽  
Alex Manicardi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Peptide Nucleic Acid ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Scaffolding Protein ◽  
Cftr Gene ◽  
Scaffolding Proteins ◽  
Transmembrane Conductance Regulator ◽  
Transmembrane Conductance ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane

(1) Background: Up-regulation of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator gene (CFTR) might be of great relevance for the development of therapeutic protocols for cystic fibrosis (CF). MicroRNAs are deeply involved in the regulation of CFTR and scaffolding proteins (such as NHERF1, NHERF2 and Ezrin). (2) Methods: Content of miRNAs and mRNAs was analyzed by RT-qPCR, while the CFTR and NHERF1 production was analyzed by Western blotting. (3) Results: The results here described show that the CFTR scaffolding protein NHERF1 can be up-regulated in bronchial epithelial Calu-3 cells by a peptide-nucleic acid (PNA) targeting miR-335-5p, predicted to bind to the 3′-UTR sequence of the NHERF1 mRNA. Treatment of Calu-3 cells with this PNA (R8-PNA-a335) causes also up-regulation of CFTR. (4) Conclusions: We propose miR-335-5p targeting as a strategy to increase CFTR. While the efficiency of PNA-based targeting of miR-335-5p should be verified as a therapeutic strategy in CF caused by stop-codon mutation of the CFTR gene, this approach might give appreciable results in CF cells carrying other mutations impairing the processing or stability of CFTR protein, supporting its application in personalized therapy for precision medicine.

scholarly journals Structural Insights on Tiny Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Analogues of miRNA-34a: An in silico and Experimental Integrated Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Moccia ◽  
Flavia Anna Mercurio ◽  
Emma Langella ◽  
Valerio Piacenti ◽  
Marilisa Leone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Peptide Nucleic Acid ◽  
Uv Spectroscopy ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Seed Region ◽  
Rna Sequences ◽  
Nmr Characterization ◽  
Rna Targeting ◽  
Fluorescent Tag

In the present work, structural features of the interaction between peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-based analogs of the tumor-suppressor microRNA-34a with both its binding sites on MYCN mRNA were investigated. In particular, the region from base 1 to 8 (“seed” region) of miR-34a was reproduced in the form of an 8-mer PNA fragment (tiny PNA), and binding to target 3'UTR MYCN mRNA, was studied by a seldom reported and detailed NMR characterization, providing evidence for the formation of anti-parallel duplexes with a well-organized structural core. The formation of PNA-3'UTR duplexes was also confirmed by Circular Dichroism, and their melting curves were measured by UV spectroscopy. Nevertheless, this study offered a valuable comparison between molecular dynamics predictions and experimental evidence, which showed great correlation. Preliminary uptake assays were carried out in Neuroblastoma Kelly cells, using short peptide conjugates as carriers and FITC fluorescent tag for subcellular localization. Moderate internalization was observed without the use of transfecting agents. The reported results corroborate the interest toward the design and development of chimeric PNA/RNA sequences as effective RNA-targeting agents.

Molecular insights on the dynamic stability of peptide nucleic acid functionalized carbon and boron nitride nanotubes

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-228
Author(s):  
Nabanita Saikia ◽  
Mohamed Taha ◽  
Ravindra Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Boron Nitride ◽  
Nucleic Acids ◽  
Dynamic Stability ◽  
Peptide Nucleic Acid ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Peptide Nucleic Acids ◽  
Boron Nitride Nanotubes ◽  
Molecular Hybrids ◽  
Single Wall Nanotubes

The rational design of self-assembled nanobio-molecular hybrids of peptide nucleic acids with single-wall nanotubes rely on understanding how biomolecules recognize and mediate intermolecular interactions with the nanomaterial's surface.

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