miRNA transfection into primary rat hippocampal neurons using NeuroMag

For electrophysiology experiment transfection of hippocampal neurons with miRNA was achieved using NeuroMag.

This paper shows the high efficiency of NeuroMag from OZ Biosciences to transfect miRNA into primary rat hippocampal neurons.

article reference: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Apr 21.

Dystroglycan mediates homeostatic synaptic plasticity at GABAergic synapses.

Pribiag H, Peng H, Shah WA, Stellwagen D, Carbonetto S.

Abstract

Dystroglycan (DG), a cell adhesion molecule well known to be essential for skeletal muscle integrity and formation of neuromuscular synapses, is also present at inhibitory synapses in the central nervous system. Mutations that affect DG function not only result in muscular dystrophies, but also in severe cognitive deficits and epilepsy. Here we demonstrate a role of DG during activity-dependent homeostatic regulation of hippocampal inhibitory synapses. Prolonged elevation of neuronal activity up-regulates DG expression and glycosylation, and its localization to inhibitory synapses. Inhibition of protein synthesis prevents the activity-dependent increase in synaptic DG and GABA_A receptors (GABA_ARs), as well as the homeostatic scaling up of GABAergic synaptic transmission. RNAi-mediated knockdown of DG blocks homeostatic scaling up of inhibitory synaptic strength, as does knockdown of like-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (LARGE)-a glycosyltransferase critical for DG function. In contrast, DG is not required for the bicuculline-induced scaling down of excitatory synaptic strength or the tetrodotoxin-induced scaling down of inhibitory synaptic strength. The DG ligand agrin increases GABAergic synaptic strength in a DG-dependent manner that mimics homeostatic scaling up induced by increased activity, indicating that activation of this pathway alone is sufficient to regulate GABA_AR trafficking. These data demonstrate that DG is regulated in a physiologically relevant manner in neurons and that DG and its glycosylation are essential for homeostatic plasticity at inhibitory synapses.

NeuroMag is the first dedicated Magnetofection ™ transfection reagent for neurons. It is perfect for primary neurons and can also be used with cell lines and glial cells. The transfection can be performed with neurons from 3 DIV to 21 DIV. It can also be used on ES cell derived motor neurons.