Non-viral xylosyltransferase-1 siRNA delivery as an effective alternative to chondroitinase in an in vitro model of reactive astrocytes

In this study we investigate the ability of small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivered by a non-viral polymer vector to silence the rate-limiting enzyme involved in CSPG synthesis. Gene expression of this enzyme, xylosyltransferase-1, was silenced by 65% in Neu7 astrocytes which conferred a reduced expression of CSPGs. Furthermore, conditioned medium taken from treated Neu7s, or co-culture experiments with dorsal root ganglia (DRG) showed that siRNA treatment resulted in a more permissive environment for DRG neurite outgrowth than treatment with chondroitinase ABC alone. These results indicate that there is a role for targeted siRNA therapy using polymeric vectors to facilitate regeneration of injured axons following central nervous system injury.

Source: Neuroscience - October 26, 2016 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research