Next Article in Journal
Drosophila SLC22 Orthologs Related to OATs, OCTs, and OCTNs Regulate Development and Responsiveness to Oxidative Stress
Next Article in Special Issue
Coiled-Coils: The Molecular Zippers that Self-Assemble Protein Nanostructures
Previous Article in Journal
Ralstonia solanacearum elicitor RipX Induces Defense Reaction by Suppressing the Mitochondrial atpA Gene in Host Plant
Previous Article in Special Issue
Chemically Crosslinked Bispecific Antibodies for Cancer Therapy: Breaking from the Structural Restrictions of the Genetic Fusion Approach
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
IJMS
Volume 21
Issue 6
10.3390/ijms21062001
ijms-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Communication

Exploring miR-9 Involvement in Ciona intestinalis Neural Development Using Peptide Nucleic Acids

by
Silvia Mercurio
1,
Silvia Cauteruccio
2,*,
Raoul Manenti
1,
Simona Candiani
3,*,
Giorgio Scarì
4,
Emanuela Licandro
2 and
Roberta Pennati
1
1
Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
2
Department of Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
3
Department of Earth Science, Environment and Life, Università degli Studi di Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy
4
Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(6), 2001; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062001
Submission received: 27 February 2020 / Revised: 12 March 2020 / Accepted: 13 March 2020 / Published: 15 March 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Designer Biopolymers: Self-Assembling Proteins and Nucleic Acids 2020)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

The microRNAs are small RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and can be involved in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. They are emerging as possible targets for antisense-based therapy, even though the in vivo stability of miRNA analogues is still questioned. We tested the ability of peptide nucleic acids, a novel class of nucleic acid mimics, to downregulate miR-9 in vivo in an invertebrate model organism, the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, by microinjection of antisense molecules in the eggs. It is known that miR-9 is a well-conserved microRNA in bilaterians and we found that it is expressed in epidermal sensory neurons of the tail in the larva of C. intestinalis. Larvae developed from injected eggs showed a reduced differentiation of tail neurons, confirming the possibility to use peptide nucleic acid PNA to downregulate miRNA in a whole organism. By identifying putative targets of miR-9, we discuss the role of this miRNA in the development of the peripheral nervous system of ascidians.
Keywords: PNA; antisense therapy; invertebrate; nervous system development; tunicates; microRNA PNA; antisense therapy; invertebrate; nervous system development; tunicates; microRNA
Graphical Abstract

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Mercurio, S.; Cauteruccio, S.; Manenti, R.; Candiani, S.; Scarì, G.; Licandro, E.; Pennati, R. Exploring miR-9 Involvement in Ciona intestinalis Neural Development Using Peptide Nucleic Acids. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 2001. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062001

AMA Style

Mercurio S, Cauteruccio S, Manenti R, Candiani S, Scarì G, Licandro E, Pennati R. Exploring miR-9 Involvement in Ciona intestinalis Neural Development Using Peptide Nucleic Acids. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21(6):2001. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062001

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mercurio, Silvia, Silvia Cauteruccio, Raoul Manenti, Simona Candiani, Giorgio Scarì, Emanuela Licandro, and Roberta Pennati. 2020. "Exploring miR-9 Involvement in Ciona intestinalis Neural Development Using Peptide Nucleic Acids" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 6: 2001. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062001

APA Style

Mercurio, S., Cauteruccio, S., Manenti, R., Candiani, S., Scarì, G., Licandro, E., & Pennati, R. (2020). Exploring miR-9 Involvement in Ciona intestinalis Neural Development Using Peptide Nucleic Acids. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(6), 2001. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062001

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop