title: Lipid-based transfection reagents can interfere with cholesterol biosynthesis.
abstract: Lipid-based transfection reagents are widely used for delivery of small interfering RNA into cells. We examined whether the commonly used commercial transfection reagents DharmaFECT-4 and Lipofectamine 2000 can interfere with lipid metabolism by studying cholesterogenesis. Cholesterol de novo synthesis from [(14)C]acetate was assessed in human hepatocyte-derived Huh-7 cells. The results revealed that DharmaFECT, but not Lipofectamine, markedly inhibited cholesterol biosynthesis by approximately 70%. Cell viability was not significantly altered. These findings suggest that caution is required in the choice of certain lipid-based transfection reagents for gene silencing experiments, particularly when assessing cholesterol metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, 2000 Rosario, Argentina. Electronic address: danielli@ifise-conicet.gov.ar.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danielli
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, 2000 Rosario, Argentina. Electronic address: marinelli@ifise-conicet.gov.ar.
authors.forename: Raúl A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Marinelli
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008055:Lipids; C086724:Lipofectamine; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D002784:Cholesterol; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
keywords: Cholesterol; Huh-7 cells; Transfection reagents