Chitosanase-based method for RNA isolation from cells transfected with chitosan/siRNA nanocomplexes for real-time RT-PCR in gene silencing.
Chitosan, a well known natural cationic polysaccharide, has been successfully implemented in vitro and in vivo as a nonviral delivery system for both plasmid DNA and siRNA. While using chitosan/siRNA polyplexes to knock down specific targets, we have underestimated the effect of nucleic acids binding to chitosan when extracting RNA for subsequent quantitative PCR evaluation of silencing. In vitro transfection using chitosan/siRNA-based polyplexes reveals a very poor recovery of total RNA especially when using low cell numbers in 96 well plates. Here, we describe a method that dramatically enhances RNA extraction from chitosan/siRNA-treated cells by using an enzymatic treatment with a type III chitosanase. We show that chitosanase treatment prior to RNA extraction greatly enhances the yield and the integrity of extracted RNA. This method will therefore eliminate the bias associated with lower RNA yield and integrity when quantifying gene silencing of chitosan-based systems using quantitative real time PCR.
Alameh
Mohamad
M
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, École Polytechnique, Station Centreville, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Jean
Myriam
M
Dejesus
Diogo
D
Buschmann
Michael D
MD
Merzouki
Abderrazzak
A
D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D019073:HT29 Cells; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D050997:Nanomedicine; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014162:Transfection
D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D012313:RNA; D048271:Chitosan; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; C019868:chitosanase