Vagal Afferent Neurons transfected with CombiMag transfection reagent

Vagal afferent neurons from Rat nodose ganglia cultured for 48 hours were transfected with plasmid DNA and CombiMag transfection reagent.

This work demonstrates the high efficiency of Magnetofection method to transfect primary neurons (vagal affernt) with DNA using Magnetofection method. CombiMag from OZ Biosciences was used in this paper.

parper reference: Endocrinology. 2013 Feb;154(2):718-26.

Gastric Expression of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor (PAI)-1 Is Associated with Hyperphagia and Obesity in Mice.
Kenny S, Gamble J, Lyons S, Vlatkovic N, Dimaline R, Varro A, Dockray GJ.

Abstract

The adipokine plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 is increased in plasma of obese individuals and exhibits increased expression in the stomachs of individuals infected with Helicobacter. To investigate the relevance of gastric PAI-1, we used 1.1 kb of the H(+)/K(+)β subunit promoter to overexpress PAI-1 specifically in mouse gastric parietal cells (PAI-1-H/Kβ mice). We studied the physiological, biochemical, and behavioral characteristics of these and mice null for PAI-1 or a putative receptor, urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). PAI-1-H/Kβ mice had increased plasma concentrations of PAI-1 and increased body mass, adiposity, and hyperphagia compared with wild-type mice. In the latter, food intake was inhibited by cholecystokinin (CCK)8s, but PAI-1-H/Kβ mice were insensitive to the satiating effects of CCK8s. PAI-1-H/Kβ mice also had significantly reduced expression of c-fos in the nucleus tractus solitarius in response to CCK8s and refeeding compared with wild-type mice. Exogenous PAI-1 reversed the effects of CCK8s on food intake and c-fos levels in the nucleus tractus solitarius of wild-type mice, but not uPAR-null mice. Infection of C57BL/6 mice with Helicobacter felis increased gastric abundance of PAI-1 and reduced the satiating effects of CCK8s, whereas the response to CCK8s was maintained in infected PAI-1-null mice. In cultured vagal afferent neurons, PAI-1 inhibited stimulation of neuropeptide Y type 2 receptor (Y2R) expression by CCK8s. Thus, gastric expression of PAI-1 is associated with hyperphagia, moderate obesity, and resistance to the satiating effects of CCK indicating a new role in suppressing signals from the upper gut that inhibit food intake.

CombiMag from OZ Biosciences is a very efficient transfection reagent based on Magnetofection™ technology.