Sasaguri Hiroki, Mitani Tasuku, Anzai Masayuki, Kubodera Takayuki, Saito Yuki, Yamada Hiromi, Mizusawa Hidehiro, Yokota Takanori
Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
FEBS Lett. 2009 Jan 5;583(1):213-8. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2008.12.012. Epub 2008 Dec 11.
In short hairpin RNA (shRNA) transgenic mice, the tissue difference in gene silencing efficiency and oversaturation of microRNA (miRNA) pathway have not been well assessed. We studied these problems in our previously-reported anti-copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) shRNA transgenic mice. Although there was a tissue difference (liver and skeletal muscle, >95%; central nervous system and lung, approximately 80%), the target gene silencing was systemic and our anti-SOD1 shRNA transgenic mice recapitulated the SOD1-null mice. Neither endogenous miRNAs nor their target gene levels were altered, indicating the preservation of endogenous miRNA pathways. We think that the shRNA transgenic mice can be utilized for gene analysis.
