i-Fect Delivers siRNA in vitro and in vivo

Gene Expression Analysis for Studying Stroke

We have posted over 35 publications that reference use of our i-Fect Transfection Kit to deliver siRNA, miRNA and shRNA in vitro and in vivo. Results documented in these publications prove that this kit is both non-toxic and delivers ultra-high transfection efficiency.

i-Fect Data Example


Figure. The effects of HDAC2 siRNA Infusion into the CeA of P rats on voluntary ethanol consumption as measured by the two-bottle free choice paradigm. Monitoring the voluntary ethanol consumption of alcohol-preferring (P) rats via the two bottle free choice paradigm following infusion of vehicle or histone deacetylase isoform 2 (HDAC2) siRNA into the central amygdala (CeA) demonstrates that high HDAC2 levels may mediate the high alcohol drinking behaviors of P rats. P rats were given access to water and 7% ethanol followed by water and 9% ethanol. On the sixth day of ethanol access P rats received infusion of vehicle or HDAC2 siRNA and consumption of water and 9% ethanol were monitored for sevnfusion. Total fluid intake did not significantly differ between the groups. Values are represented as the mean ± SEM of the ethanol consumption (g / kg / day) and total fluid intake (mL) plotted daily for n=6 rats per treatment group. *Significantly different between the groups.SACHIN MOONAT. The Role of Amygdaloid Chromatin and Synaptic Remodeling in Anxiety and Alcoholism. THESIS Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Chicago, 2014.

Here's yet another recent publication highlighting use of i-Fect:

In this study data suggest the protective effects of EPO on NUV injuries are highly associated with the increase of p-Cx43, which improves GJIC to reduce neurotoxic substances: Ziyi Zhoua, Xiaobai Weib, Jun Xiang, Junpeng Gao, Lixin Wang, Jinsong You, Yefeng Cai , Dingfang Caid. Protection of erythropoietin against ischemic neurovascular unit injuries through the effects of connexin43. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.02...The strands were incubated at 90°C for 5 min and then at 37°C for 1 h. SiRNA was prepared immediately before administration by mixing the RNA solution (1 μg/μl in annealing buffer) with the transfection reagent i-Fect (v/v: 1/3; Neuromics, Edina, MN, USA) to a final siRNA ...

Highlights
•EPO has protective effects on ischemic NVU injuries.
•EPO up-regulates phosphorylation of Cx43, not total Cx43.
•EPO's protective effects on NUV injuries are p-Cx43-GJIC dependent.

UCB Derived hMSC-MSCGro™ Media-The Wow Factor!

Neuromics-Vitro Biopharma Cells and Media Used to Treat Cerebral Ischemia

I have frequently posted successful outcomes with our Umbilical Cord Blood Derived Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells and MSCGro Expansion Media. These solutions have been tested head to head with other cell and media options and proven superior in cell behavior, doubling time and total number of passages. Competitive testing, until now, was done in culture.

I am pleased to present a study where our cells and media were selected for the the in vivo treatment of Cerebral Ischemia in Rats. This is a key part of building the foundation for human clinical trials: Chelluboina B, Klopfenstein JD, Pinson DM, Wang DZ, Veeravalli KK. Stem cell treatment after cerebral ischemia regulates the gene expression of apoptotic molecules. Neurochemical research. 39(8): 1511-21 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-014-1341-z
Protocol: Cryo-preserved hUCBSCs obtained from Neuromics/Vitro Biopharma (Golden, CO) were used to establish cultures in MSC-GRO low serum complete MSC medium according to the provided instructions. Cultures were maintained at 37 C in a humidified atmosphere containing 5 % CO2 with a change of culture medium twice a week. When the cell cultures were about 80 % to 90 % confluent, cells were split and subcultured. Cells were detached, washed twice with sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS), counted and suspended in sterile saline prior to intravenous administration. The cells were intravenously injected (0.25 × 10(6) cells or 1 × 10(6) cells) via the tail vein.
Results:

Fig: Stem cell treatment after MCAO procedure reduces caspase-dependent apoptosis and brain damage. a Green fluorescence indicates cleaved caspase 3 protein expression. Representative cleaved caspase3 images were merged with respective DAPI images. Scale bar 100 lm. b Quantification of cleaved caspase-3 protein expression in the ipsilateral hemisphere of untreated [15] and hUCBSCs-treated animals. n C 3. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM; *p\0.05 compared to untreated MCAO subjected animals. c Representative hematoxylin and eosin stained paraffinembedded tissue sections from rat brains. Higher magnification images from the ischemic cortex and striatal regions of MCAOsubjected and untreated animals show interstitial edema and damaged neurons that have a condensed, irregular shaped and darkly stained nuclei which are absent or less frequent in control/hUCBSCs-treated brain sections. Each group consisted of a minimum of three animals. Scale bar value for the magnified images = 100 lm

This provides an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord blood in a rat model of transient focal cerebral ischemia. The study clearly demonstrates the potential of hUCBSCs to regulate various molecules responsible for cell death after transient focal cerebral ischemia followed by reperfusion.

There are some other important factors to consider:

• Potency and Number of Stem Cells Matter-To move this into clinical applications, Doctors must be allowed to expand Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
• Media used Matters-it must be best in class and not initiate immune inflammatory response.

We will continue to post studies utilizing Neuromics' Stem Cell Solutions.

Hope for Stroke Victims-Transplanting STEMEZ hNP1 Cells

In a recent publication (Jen et al., 2009) Neuromics'/ArunA’s STEMEZ^TM human neural progenitor (hNP1) cells when injected (sterotaxic) into a rat stroke model produced significant beneficial results. The hNP1 cells reduced the infarct area by 50% and were positive for neuronal marker proteins, cleaved caspase-3 and 40% of the cells showed spontaneous action potentials and excitatory postsynaptic currents measured by patch clamp recordings at 8 weeks post hNP1 cell injections. The treated rats had improves cognitive and sensorimotor functions between four to nine months post injection. These Sprague–Dawley rats were not immunosuppressed.

Kunlin Jin, XiaoOu Mao, Lin Xie, Veronica Galvan, Bin Lai, Yaoming Wang, Olivia Gorostiza, Xiaomei Wang and David A Greenberg. Transplantation of human neural precursor cells in Matrigel scaffolding improves outcome from focal cerebral ischemia after delayed postischemic treatment in rats. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism advance online publication 14 October 2009; doi: 10.1038/jcbfm.2009.219.

Featuring:
STEMEZ(TM) hNP1 Human Neural Progenitors Discovery Kit
Other Reagents:
STEMEZ(TM) hN2 Human Neurons Discovery Kit
All Stem Cell Research Reagents
Primary Neurons and Astrocytes

Ischemia, Inflammatory Response and Umbilical Stem Cells

We would like to send Kudos to Dr. Yan Xu and his colleagues at University of Pittburgh for their findings on inflammatory response in Golbal Ischemia. Their work was recently published:

Aaron Hirko, Renee Dallasen, Sachiko Jomura, Yan Xu. Modulation of Inflammatory Responses after Global Ischemia by Transplanted Umbilical-Cord Matrix Stem Cells. Stem Cells First published online August 21, 2008; doi:doi:10.1634/stemcells.2008-0075

Secondary to Cardiac Arrest is Brain Damage do to lack of blood flow. This is marked by a delayed loss of Neurons in CA1 hippocampus region of the brain due to inflammatory response.

The story timeline of this response is good then bad with interesting twists. The delay in neuronal loss is linked to initial inflammation. It involves both reactive astrocytes (astrocytosis) and glia. Delaying the loss is, of course, good.

...But then, the reactive astrocytosis and related glial scarring cause a physical and biochemical barrier to regeneration of neurons...a bad thing. Protecting the microglia is a good thing, because they these cells serve as scavengers for clearing the cellular debris. They can also secrete a variety of cytotoxic and protective chemicals.

The wow factor in this research is that implanted rat umbilical-cord matrix (RUCM) cells can provide partial protection against neuronal injury in rat brains. Rats treated with RUCM cells three days prior to an 8-min CA had only 25-32% neuronal loss in the hippocampal CA1 region compared to the typical 50-68% neuronal loss observed in the untreated or the vehicle-treated animals. This could be due to to the favaorable modulation of the "good-bad" inflammatory response.

The good news in the search for therapies for stroke and cardiac arrest victims is combined, stem-cell-like RUCM cells offer protection against neuronal injury after global cerebral ischemia by enhancing the survivability of the astroglia in the selectively vulnerable regions.

We are pleased that the research team used our GFAP antibody as an marker for astrotytic in their studies.