Motor neuron-like NSC34 cells and Vero cells successfully transfected with NeuroMag reagent (Magnetofection)

Motor neuron-like NSC34 cells and Vero cells were seeded on glass coverslips and transfected with 1 µg plasmid DNA using NeuroMag.

This paper shows the high efficiency of NeuroMag from OZ Biosciences to transfect any kind of neuronal cell type and classic cell lines with DNA.

article reference: PLoS One. 2014 Sep 2;9(9):e106535. 

Inhibition of west nile virus by calbindin-d28k.

Siddharthan V, Wang H, Davies CJ, Hall JO, Morrey JD.

Abstract

Evidence indicates that West Nile virus (WNV) employs Ca2+ influx for its replication. Moreover, calcium buffer proteins, such as calbindin D28k (CB-D28k), may play an important role mitigating cellular destruction due to disease processes, and more specifically, in some neurological diseases. We addressed the hypothesis that CB-D28k inhibits WNV replication in cell culture and infected rodents. WNV envelope immunoreactivity (ir) was not readily co-localized with CB-D28k ir in WNV-infected Vero 76 or motor neuron-like NSC34 cells that were either stably or transiently transfected with plasmids coding for CB-D28k gene. This was confirmed in cultured cells fixed on glass coverslips and by flow cytometry. Moreover, WNV infectious titers were reduced in CB-D28k-transfected cells. As in cell culture studies, WNV env ir was not co-localized with CB-D28k ir in the cortex of an infected WNV hamster, or in the hippocampus of an infected mouse. Motor neurons in the spinal cord typically do not express CB-D28k and are susceptible to WNV infection. Yet, CB-D28k was detected in the surviving motor neurons after the initial phase of WNV infection in hamsters. These data suggested that induction of CB-D28k elicit a neuroprotective response to WNV infection.

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 as well as astrocytes.