• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2007

RNA interference (RNAi) is the phenomenon of gene silencing by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in a sequence-specific manner. Reverse genetic approaches using RNA interference (RNAi) have become a major tool for biological researches since its discovery in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In this review, we overview how the RNAi phenomenon was discovered and how the underlying mechanism has been elucidated. We also describe and discuss how RNAi experiments can be performed and how RNAi can be used for genetic studies.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2008

Introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into some cells or organisms results in degradation of its homologous mRNA, a process called RNA interference (RNAi). The dsRNAs are processed into short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that subsequently bind to the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), causing degradation of target mRNAs. Because of this sequence-specific ability to silence target genes, RNAi has been extensively used to study gene functions and has the potential to control disease pathogens or vectors. With this promise of RNAi to control pathogens and vectors, this paper reviews the current status of RNAi in protozoans, animal parasitic helminths and disease-transmitting vectors, such as insects. Many pathogens and vectors cause severe parasitic diseases in tropical regions and it is difficult to control once the host has been invaded. Intracellularly, RNAi can be highly effective in impeding parasitic development and proliferation within the host. To fully realize its potential as a means to control tropical diseases, appropriate delivery methods for RNAi should be developed, and possible off-target effects should be minimized for specific gene suppression. RNAi can also be utilized to reduce vector competence to interfere with disease transmission, as genes critical for pathogenesis of tropical diseases are knockdowned via RNAi.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.211-219
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• 2022

Over the past decade, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated gene silencing technology has progressed significantly for pest management in agriculture and for protecting beneficial insects from pathogens. Recently, breakthroughs in RNA interference (RNAi) applications for insect pest management by academia and commercial entities have provided RNAi products as commercial biopesticides. Although RNAi technology has vast potential and advantages for pest control, challenges, and limitations remain in practical applications. This review explores current challenges in the development of dsRNAs as a pest management tool and considers new approaches to overcome biological and environmental obstacles, such as poor stability and resistance.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2010

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a member of serine/threonine protein kinases, which initiates the principal transitions of the eukaryotic cell cycle and is a promising target for cancer therapy. The present study was designed to inhibit cdk2 gene expression to induce cell cycle arrest and cell proliferation suppression. Here, we constructed a series of RNA interference (RNAi) plasmids which can successfully express small interference RNA (siRNA) in the transfected human cells. The results showed that the RNAi plasmids containing the coding sequences for siRNAs down-regulated the cdk2 gene expression in human cancer cells at the mRNA and the protein levels. Furthermore, we found that the cell cycle was arrested at G0G1 phases and the cell proliferation was inhibited by different siRNAs. These results demonstrate that suppression of CDK2 activity by RNAi may be an effective strategy for gene therapy in human cancers.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.377-380
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• 2014

RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated transcriptional knock-down of Crassostrea gigas big defensin 1 and 2 genes (Cg-BigDef1 and Cg-BigDef2) was investigated. The cDNA sequences of Cg-BigDef1 and Cg-BigDef2 were identical, excluding an additional fragment of 20 nucleotides in Cg-BigDef1; thus, a long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting the mRNA of Cg-BigDef2 effectively downregulated both Cg-BigDef2 and Cg-BigDef1. In addition, long dsRNA targeting green fluorescent protein (GFP) did not affect transcription of the two big defensin genes. These results suggest that the transcriptional downregulation of Cg-BigDef1 and Cg-BigDef2 was mediated by sequence-specific RNA interference (RNAi). Despite injection of long dsRNA targeting Cg-BigDef2 into only the adductor muscle, knock-down of Cg-BigDef1 and Cg-BigDef2 was observed in the adductor muscle, hemocytes, mantle, and gills, suggestive of systemic spread of RNAi in C. gigas. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of dsRNA persisted until 72 h post-injection, indicative of a long-lasting RNAi-mediated knock-down of target genes.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.358-362
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• 2008

RNA interference (RNAi) is the process of sequence-specific gene silencing. However, RNAi efficiency still needs to be improved for effective inhibition of target genes. We have developed an effective strategy to express multiple shRNAs (small hairpin RNA) simultaneously using multiple RNA Polymerase III (Pol III) promoters in a single vector. Our data demonstrate that multiple shRNAs expressed from Pol III promoters have a synergistic effect in repressing the target gene. Silencing of endogenous cyclophilin A (CypA) or key HIV viral genes by multiple shRNAs results in significant inhibition of the target gene.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.689-695
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• 2009

Chemically synthesized small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can specifically knock-down expression of target genes via RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. To date, the length of synthetic siRNA duplex has been strictly maintained less than 30 bp, because an early study suggested that double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) longer than 30 bp could not trigger specific gene silencing due to the induction of non-specific antiviral interferon responses. Contrary to the current belief, here we show that synthetic dsRNA as long as 38 bp can result in specific target gene silencing without non-specific antiviral responses. Using this longer duplex structure, we have generated dsRNAs, which can simultaneously knock-down expression of two target genes (termed as dual-target siRNAs or dsiRNAs). Our results thus demonstrate the structural flexibility of gene silencing siRNAs, and provide a starting point to construct multifunctional RNA structures. The dsiRNAs could be utilized to develop a novel therapeutic gene silencing strategy against diseases with multiple gene alternations such as viral infection and cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2445-2452
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• 2012

RNA interference has created a breakthrough in gene silencing technology and there is now much debate on the successful usage of RNAi based methods in treating a number of debilitating diseases. Cancer is often regarded as a result of mutations in genomic DNA resulting in faulty gene expression. The occurrence of cancer can also be influenced by epigenetic irregularities in the chromatin structure which leads to alterations and mutations in DNA resulting in cancer cell formation. A number of therapeutic approaches have been put forth to treat cancer. Anti cancer therapy often involves chemotherapy targeting all the cells in common, whereby both cancer cells as well as normal cells get affected. Hence RNAi technology has potential to be a better therapeutic agent as it is possible to deactivate molecular targets like specific mutant genes. This review highlights the successful use of RNAi inducers against different types of cancer, thereby paving the way for specific therapeutic medicines.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.456-464
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• 2010

RNA interference (RNAi) is an acknowledged useful and effective tool to study gene function in various cells. Here, we suppressed the Connexin 43 (Cx 43) gene expression during in vitro development of ovine pre-implantation embryos using the RNAi method. The 353 bp Cx 43 double-stranded RNA was microinjected into in vitro fertilized ovine zygotes, and the levels of target mRNA and protein were investigated. Control groups included uninjected zygotes or those injected with RNase-free water. The dsRNA injection resulted in the specific reduction of Cx 43 transcripts as analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and decreased protein levels as shown by Western blot analysis at the blastocyst stage. Microinjection of Cx 43 dsRNA led to 20.3%, 21.7% and 34.5% blastocyst rates and 19.2%, 37.5% and 41.3% hatched blastocyst rates in Cx 43 dsRNA-injected, water-injected and uninjected groups, respectively. Then the RNAi could not significantly affect cell number and cell death rates of blastocysts. Therefore, suppression of Cx 43 dsRNA and proteins did not apparently affect the development potential of ovine pre-implantation embryos but may play a role in embryo quality. RNAi technology is a promising approach to study gene function in early ovine embryogenesis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.299-307
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• 2003

Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the mobile transposon-like element, clone MTi7 (MTi7) expression in the mouse ovary and to determine its role(s) in the mouse oocytes by RNA interference (RNAi). Methods: MTi7 mRNA expression was localized by in situ hybridization in day5 and adult ovaries. Double stranded RNA (dsRNA) was prepared for c-mos, a gene with known function as control, and the MTi7. Each dsRNA was microinjected into the germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes then oocyte maturation and intracellular changes were evaluated. Results: In situ hybridization analysis revealed that MTi7 mRNA localized to the oocyte cytoplasm from primordial to preovulatory follicles. After dsRNA injection, we found 43-54% GV arrest of microinjected GV oocytes with 68%-90% decrease in targeted c-mos or MTi7 mRNA. Conclusions: This is the first report of the oocyte-specific expression of the MTi7 mRNA. From results of RNAi for MTi7, we concluded that the MTi7 is involved in the germinal vesicle breakdown in GV oocytes, and MTi7 may be implicated with c-mos for its function. We report here that RNAi provides an outstanding approach to study the function of a gene with unknown functions.