A Peptide Nucleic Acid against MicroRNA miR-145-5p Enhances the Expression of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) in Calu-3 Cells
Enrica Fabbri,
Anna Tamanini,
Tiziana Jakova,
Jessica Gasparello,
Alex Manicardi,
Roberto Corradini,
Giuseppe Sabbioni,
Alessia Finotti,
Monica Borgatti,
Ilaria Lampronti,
Silvia Munari,
Maria Cristina Dechecchi,
Giulio Cabrini,
Roberto Gambari
Affiliations
Enrica Fabbri
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Anna Tamanini
Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, University-Hospital, 37126 Verona, Italy
Tiziana Jakova
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Jessica Gasparello
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Alex Manicardi
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Roberto Corradini
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Giuseppe Sabbioni
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Alessia Finotti
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Monica Borgatti
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Ilaria Lampronti
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Silvia Munari
Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, University-Hospital, 37126 Verona, Italy
Maria Cristina Dechecchi
Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, University-Hospital, 37126 Verona, Italy
Giulio Cabrini
Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, University-Hospital, 37126 Verona, Italy
Roberto Gambari
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are very useful tools for gene regulation at different levels, but in particular in the last years their use for targeting microRNA (anti-miR PNAs) has provided impressive advancements. In this respect, microRNAs related to the repression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which is defective in cystic fibrosis, are of great importance in the development of new type of treatments. In this paper we propose the use of an anti-miR PNA for targeting miR-145, a microRNA reported to suppress CFTR expression. Octaarginine-anti-miR PNA conjugates were delivered to Calu-3 cells, exerting sequence dependent targeting of miR-145-5p. This allowed to enhance expression of the miR-145 regulated CFTR gene, analyzed at mRNA (RT-qPCR, Reverse Transcription quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction) and CFTR protein (Western blotting) level.
