Delivery of therapeutic siRNA to the lung endothelium via novel Lipoplex formulation DACC.

Posttranscriptional gene silencing by RNA interference can be therapeutically exploited to inhibit pathophysiological gene expression. However, in contrast to the established effectiveness of RNAi in vitro, safe and effective delivery of siRNAs to specific organs and cell types in vivo remains the major hurdle. Here, we report the development and in vivo characterization of a novel siRNA delivery system (DACC lipoplex) suitable for modulating target gene expression specifically in the lung vasculature. Systemic administration of DACC in mice delivered siRNA cargo functionally to the lung pulmonary endothelium. A single dose of DACC lipoplexes administered by bolus injection or by infusion was sufficient to specifically silence genes expressed in pulmonary endothelial cells such as CD31, Tie-2, VE-cadherin, or BMP-R2. When tested in a mouse model for lung cancer, repeated treatment with DACC/siRNA(CD31) reduced formation of lung metastases and increased life span in a mouse model of experimental lung metastasis.

RNA interference in the mouse vascular endothelium by systemic administration of siRNA-lipoplexes for cancer therapy.

RNA interference (RNAi) entails the potential for novel therapeutic strategies through the silencing of disease-causing genes in vivo. However, recent studies have raised an issue regarding applicable routes of administration for small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules as therapeutics. In this study, we demonstrate that liposomally formulated siRNA molecules, the so-called siRNA-lipoplexes, but not naked siRNAs, are delivered to the tumor endothelial cells in vivo by microscopy. In addition, functional intracellular delivery of formulated siRNA targeting the tumor suppressor PTEN is shown in endothelial cells of the liver and tumor. Finally, the therapeutic potential of systemically administered siRNA(CD31)-lipoplexes is established by inhibition of tumor growth in two different xenograft mouse models. Our findings corroborate the applicability of this liposomal siRNA delivery technology for inducing RNAi to modulate gene expression levels in angiogenesis-dependent processes. In addition, our results advocate CD31 as a promising therapeutic target for antiangiogenic intervention. Therefore, our study provides a basis for the development of antiangiogenic cancer therapies based on RNAi.

A novel siRNA-lipoplex technology for RNA interference in the mouse vascular endothelium.

For the application of RNA interference (RNAi) in vivo the functional delivery of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) is still the major obstacle. Therefore, delivery technologies need to be established for the systemic application of RNAi in vivo. Here we report uptake, biodistribution and in vivo efficacy of siRNA molecules formulated into siRNA-lipoplexes. The applied formulation is based on complex formation of positively charged liposomes, a mixture of cationic and fusogenic lipids complexed with the negatively charged siRNA. We determined by fluorescence microscopy the temporal and spatial distribution of fluorescently labeled siRNA-lipoplexes, the body clearance and endothelial cell type specific uptake after single intravenous injection. Furthermore, by using siRNA molecules for targeting endothelia-specifically expressed genes, such as CD31 and Tie2, we were able to demonstrate downregulation of the corresponding mRNA and protein in vivo. Taken together, we show the applicability of this non-viral delivery technology for inducing RNAi in the vasculature of mice after systemic application.

Control of mitochondrial morphology by a human mitofusin.

Although changes in mitochondrial size and arrangement accompany both cellular differentiation and human disease, the mechanisms that mediate mitochondrial fusion, fission and morphogenesis in mammalian cells are not understood. We have identified two human genes encoding potential mediators of mitochondrial fusion. The mitofusins (Mfn1 and Mfn2) are homologs of the Drosophila protein fuzzy onion (Fzo) that associate with mitochondria and alter mitochondrial morphology when expressed by transient transfection in tissue culture cells. An internal region including a predicted bipartite transmembrane domain (TM) is sufficient to target Mfn2 to mitochondria and requires hydrophobic residues within the TM. Co-expression of Mfn2 with a dominant interfering mutant dynamin-related protein (Drp1(K38A)) proposed to block mitochondrial fission resulted in long mitochondrial filaments and networks. Formation of mitochondrial filaments and networks required a wild-type Mfn2 GTPase domain, suggesting that the Mfn2 GTPase regulates or mediates mitochondrial fusion and that mitofusins and dynamin related GTPases play opposing roles in mitochondrial fusion and fission in mammals, as in yeast.

The initiator element of the Drosophila beta2 tubulin gene core promoter contributes to gene expression in vivo but is not required for male germ-cell specific expression.

The tissue-specific expression of the Drosophila beta 2 tubulin gene ( B2t ) is accomplished by the action of a 14-bp activator element (beta2UE1) in combination with certain regulatory elements of the TATA-less, Inr-containing B2t core promoter. We performed an in vivo analysis of the Inr element function in the B2t core promoter using a transgenic approach. Our experiments demonstrate that the Inr element acts as a functional cis -regulatory element in vivo and quantitatively regulates tissue-specific reporter expression in transgenic animals. However, our mutational analysis of the Inr element demonstrates no essential role of the Inr in mediating tissue specificity of the B2t promoter. In addition, a downstream element seems to affect promoter activity in combination with the Inr. In summary, our data show for the first time the functionality of the Inr element in an in vivo background situation in Drosophila.

Flagellar mitochondrial association of the male-specific Don Juan protein in Drosophila spermatozoa.

The Drosophila don juan gene encodes a basic protein (Don Juan protein), which is solely expressed postmeiotically during spermiogenesis in elongated spermatids and in mature sperm. Transgenic expression of a GFP-tagged Don Juan protein (DJ-GFP) in the male germ line showed an association of the fusion protein with the sperm tail. Detailed examination of DJ-GFP localization revealed novel insights into its distinct temporal and spatial distribution along the sperm tail during the last phase of spermatid maturation. Co-localization of DJ-GFP with actin-labeled cysts demonstrated its emergence in elongated spermatids during individualization. Additionally, the endogenous Don Juan protein was detected with epitope-specific antibodies in finally elongated nuclei of spermatids. After completion of nuclear shaping Don Juan is no longer detectable in the sperm heads with the onset of individualization. Mislocalization of the DJ-GFP protein in flagella of a mutant with defective mitochondrial differentiation provides evidence of mitochondrial association of the fusion protein with flagellar mitochondrial arrays. Ectopically expressed DJ-GFP in premeiotic germ cells as well as salivary gland cells confirmed the capability of the fusion protein to associate with mitochondria. Therefore we suppose that Don Juan is a nuclear-encoded, germ-cell specifically expressed mitochondrial protein, which might be involved in the final steps of mitochondrial differentiation within the flagellum.

The Drosophila don juan (dj) gene encodes a novel sperm specific protein component characterized by an unusual domain of a repetitive amino acid motif.

We identified and characterized the don juan gene (dj) of Drosophila melanogaster. The don juan gene codes for a sperm specific protein component with an unusual repetitive six amino acid motif (DPCKKK) in the carboxy-terminal part of the protein. The expression of Don Juan is limited to male germ cells where transcription of the dj gene is initiated during meiotic prophase. But Western blot experiments indicate that DJ protein occurs just postmeiotically. Examination of transgenic flies bearing a dj-promoter-lacZ reporter construct revealed lacZ mRNA distribution resembling the expression pattern of the endogenous dj mRNA in the adult testes, whereas beta-galactosidase expression is exclusively present in postmeiotic germ cells. Thus, these observations strongly suggest that dj transcripts are under translational repression until in spermiogenesis. To study the function and subcellular distribution of DJ in spermiogenesis we expressed a chimaeric dj-GFP fusion gene in the male germline exhibiting strong GFP fluorescence in the liver testes, where only elongated spermatids are decorated. With regard to the characteristic expression pattern of DJ protein and its conspicuous repeat units possible functional roles are discussed.