Molecular imaging of gene expression in living subjects by spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Jun 8;101(23):8693-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0402772101. Epub 2004 May 25.

Abstract

Spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing (SMaRT) provides an effective means to reprogram mRNAs and the proteins they encode. SMaRT technology has a broad range of applications, including RNA repair and molecular imaging, each governed by the nature of the sequences delivered by the pre-trans-splicing molecule. Here, we show the ability of SMaRT to optically image the expression of an exogenous gene at the level of pre-mRNA splicing in cells and living animals. Because of the modular design of pre-trans-splicing molecules, there is great potential to employ SMaRT to image the expression of any arbitrary gene of interest in living subjects. In this report, we describe a model system that demonstrates the feasibility of imaging gene expression by transsplicing in small animals. This represents a previously undescribed approach to molecular imaging of mRNA levels in living subjects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Gene Expression*
  • Luminescent Measurements
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Optics and Photonics
  • RNA Splicing*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Spliceosomes / genetics*
  • Spliceosomes / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • RNA, Messenger