title: 2D and 3D FISH of expanded repeat RNAs in human lymphoblasts.
abstract: The first methods for visualizing RNAs within cells were designed for simple imaging of specific transcripts in cells or tissues and since then significant technical advances have been made in this field. Today, high-resolution images can be obtained, enabling visualization of single transcript molecules, quantitative analyses of images, and precise localization of RNAs within cells as well as co-localization of transcripts with specific proteins or other molecules. In addition, tracking of RNA dynamics within single cell has become possible. RNA imaging techniques have been utilized for investigating the role of mutant RNAs in a number of human disorders caused by simple microsatellite expansions. These diseases include myotonic dystrophy type 1 and 2, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia, fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, and Huntington's disease. Mutant RNAs with expanded repeats tend to aggregate predominantly within cell nuclei, forming structures called RNA foci. In this study, we demonstrate methods for fluorescent visualization of RNAs in both fixed and living cells using the example of RNAs containing various expanded repeat tracts (CUG, CCUG, GGGGCC, CGG, and CAG) from experiment design to image analysis. We describe in detail 2D and 3D fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) protocols for imaging expanded repeats RNAs, and we review briefly live imaging techniques used to characterize RNA foci formed by mutant RNAs. These methods could be used to image the entire cellular pathway of RNAs, from transcription to degradation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Martyna O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Urbanek
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalak
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704 Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: wlodkrzy@ibch.poznan.pl.
authors.forename: Wlodzimierz J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Krzyzosiak
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics; D001259:Ataxia / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000235:genetics; D057180:Frontotemporal Dementia / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000235:genetics; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008214:Lymphocytes; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009223:Myotonic Dystrophy / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D014202:Tremor / Q000235:genetics; D019680:Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012313:RNA
keywords: Fluorescence in situ hybridization; RNA live imaging; RNA toxicity; Ribonuclear foci; Simple repeat expansion diseases