Biological Effects of Lentivirus-Mediated shRNA Targeting Collagen Type I on the Mesangial Cells of Rats

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the effects of lentivirus-mediated shRNA targeting collagen type I on the mesangial cells of rats and the feasibility of lentivirus-mediated shRNA delivery through renal parenchyma injection. Methods: Anti-collagen type I shRNA lentiviral vector was constructed, and rat mesangial cells were transfected with transfection enhancer (control group), blank lentiviral vectors (pSC-GFP group), and pSC-GFP/Col I lentiviral vectors (pSC-GFP/Col I group). Transfection efficiency and cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry. RT-PCR and Western blot were performed to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of Col I. Cell proliferation was evaluated by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo-3, 5-di-phenytetrazolium-romide (MTT) assay and direct counting, and apoptosis was detected using AnnexinV/PE staining. The feasibility of renal parenchyma injection of lentiviral vectors was assessed. Results: The transfection efficiency was 75.42%. The expressions of collagen type I in pSC-GFP/Col I group was markedly decreased when compared with the other two groups. PSC-GFP/Col I group was higher than pSC-GFP group in the inhibition efficiency of mesangial cell after transfection. Results revealed that pSC-GFP/Col I transfection induced apoptosis to a certain extent. The proportion of cells in G2/M phase in pSC-GFP/Col I group and pSC-GFP group was higher than that in control group after of transfection. Moreover, cells arrested in S phase were markedly increased. Our results also revealed renal injection of lentivirus-mediated shRNA was feasible. Conclusion: Lentivirus-mediated shRNA targeting collagen type I could stably and efficiently transfect rat mesangial cells and significantly suppressed collagen type I expressions with acceptable safety. Renal injection of Col I lentivirus-mediated shRNA was also feasible.

• Collagen type I
• lentivirus
• RNA interference
• transfection

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Mr. Qianglin Duan from Tongji University for critical reading of the manuscript.

Declaration of interest: This work was supported by Beijing Natural Science Foundation (no. 7063094).