Name: small rna transfection in primary human th17 cells by next generation electroporation
Uploaded: 2017-04-13T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Small RNA Transfection in Primary Human Th17 Cells by Next Generation Electroporation at JoVE.com

This work was supported by the US National Institutes of Health grants (R01HL109102, P01HL107202, U19CA179512, F31HL131361), a Leukemia &amp; Lymphoma Society scholar award (K.M.A.), and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Medical Scientist Training Program (Grant #T32GM007618) (M.M.).

This protocol adheres to UCSF&#39;s guidelines for human research ethics.
1. Preparation of T Cell Culture, Isolation of CD4+ T Cells, and Th17 Polarization
<ol>
	<li>On Day 0, coat 6-well tissue culture plates with 1.5 mL per well of anti-human CD3 (2 &#181;g/mL) and anti-human CD28 (4 &#181;g/mL) in PBS with calcium and magnesium for at least 2 h at 37 &#176;C.
	<ol>
		<li>Alternatively, coat the plates overnight at 4 &#176;C. Wrap plates in parafilm.</li>
	</o...

<ol>
	<li>Zhu, J., Yamane, H., Paul, W. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Differentiation+of+Effector+CD4+T+Cell+Populations*.">Differentiation of Effector CD4 T Cell Populations*.</a> Ann Rev Immunol. 28 (1), 445-489 (2010).</li><li>Korn, T., Bettelli, E., Oukka, M., Kuchroo, V. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=IL-17+and+Th17+Cells.">IL-17 and Th17 Cells.</a> Ann Rev Immunol. 27 (1), 485-517 (2009).</li><li>Gaffen, S. L., Jain, R., Garg, A. V., Cua, D. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+IL-23-IL-17+immune+axis:+from+mechanisms+to+therapeutic+testing.">The IL-23-IL-17 immune axis: from mechanisms to therapeutic testing.</a> Nature. 14 (9), 585-600 (2014).</li><li>Romagnani, S., Maggi, E., Liotta, F., Cosmi, L., Annunziato, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Properties+and+origin+of+human+Th17+cells.">Properties and origin of human Th17 cells.</a> Mol Immunol. 47 (1), 3-7 (2009).</li><li>Acosta-Rodriguez, E. V., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Surface+phenotype+and+antigenic+specificity+of+human+interleukin+17-producing+T+helper+memory+cells.">Surface phenotype and antigenic specificity of human interleukin 17-producing T helper memory cells.</a> Nature Immunol. 8 (6), 639-646 (2007).</li><li>Annunziato, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phenotypic+and+functional+features+of+human+Th17+cells.">Phenotypic and functional features of human Th17 cells.</a> J Exp Med. 204 (8), 1849-1861 (2007).</li><li>Du, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=MicroRNA+miR-326+regulates+TH-17+differentiation+and+is+associated+with+the+pathogenesis+of+multiple+sclerosis.">MicroRNA miR-326 regulates TH-17 differentiation and is associated with the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.</a> Nature Immunol. 10 (12), 1252-1259 (2009).</li><li>Escobar, T. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=miR-155+Activates+Cytokine+Gene+Expression+in+Th17+Cells+by+Regulating+the+DNA-Binding+Protein+Jarid2+to+Relieve+Polycomb-Mediated+Repression.">miR-155 Activates Cytokine Gene Expression in Th17 Cells by Regulating the DNA-Binding Protein Jarid2 to Relieve Polycomb-Mediated Repression.</a> Immunity. 40 (6), 865-879 (2014).</li><li>Wang, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Negative+regulation+of+Hif1a+expression+and+TH17+differentiation+by+the+hypoxia-regulated+microRNA+miR-210.">Negative regulation of Hif1a expression and TH17 differentiation by the hypoxia-regulated microRNA miR-210.</a> Nature Immunol. 15 (4), 393-401 (2014).</li><li>Kim, T. K., Eberwine, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mammalian+cell+transfection:+the+present+and+the+future.">Mammalian cell transfection: the present and the future.</a> Anal bioanal chem. 397 (8), 3173-3178 (2010).</li><li>Steiner, D. F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=MicroRNA-29+Regulates+T-Box+Transcription+Factors+and+Interferon-&amp;gamma;+Production+in+Helper+T+Cells.">MicroRNA-29 Regulates T-Box Transcription Factors and Interferon-&amp;gamma; Production in Helper T Cells.</a> Immunity. 35 (2), 169-181 (2011).</li><li>Simpson, L. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+microRNA+upregulated+in+asthma+airway+T+cells+promotes+TH2+cytokine+production.">A microRNA upregulated in asthma airway T cells promotes TH2 cytokine production.</a> Nature Immunol. 15 (12), 1162-1170 (2014).</li><li>Pua, H. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=MicroRNAs+24+and+27+Suppress+Allergic+Inflammation+and+Target+a+Network+of+Regulators+of+T+Helper+2+Cell-Associated+Cytokine+Production.">MicroRNAs 24 and 27 Suppress Allergic Inflammation and Target a Network of Regulators of T Helper 2 Cell-Associated Cytokine Production.</a> Immunity. 44 (4), 821-832 (2016).</li><li>Flaherty, S., Reynolds, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mouse+Na&#239;ve+CD4++T+Cell+Isolation+and+In+vitro+Differentiation+into+T+Cell+Subsets.">Mouse Na&#239;ve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets.</a> J Vis Exp. (98), (2015).</li><li>Schumann, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Generation+of+knock-in+primary+human+T+cells+using+Cas9+ribonucleoproteins.">Generation of knock-in primary human T cells using Cas9 ribonucleoproteins.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 112 (33), 10437-10442 (2015).</li></ol>

This protocol provides an improved method for the delivery of small RNAs into human Th17 cells. Although human Th17 cells were used here, this method of electroporation with small RNAs can be used with other primary human T helper subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Tregs. It has not worked well for na&#239;ve CD4+ T cells so the cells must be activated in culture prior to transfection. For this protocol, we first optimized the in vitro culture system for better IL-17A production. The biggest factor was ba...

CD4+ T cells are crucial orchestrators of the adaptive immune response. Na&#239;ve CD4+ T cells are capable of developing into several different effector T cells (e.g. Th1, Th2, Th17, etc.), each with their own set of characteristic cytokines and transcription factors, depending upon the local microenvironment1. The lineage decisions that T cells make are critical for both protective immunity and tolerance to self. Th17 cells are one subset of T cells known to combat extracellular bacteria and fungi, but their improper responses are also implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis and psoriasis2,3. Human Th17 cells can be generated from na&#239;ve CD4+ T cells in vitro by providing them with an appropriate polarizing environment4. Various combinations of the cytokines IL-1&#946;, IL-23, TGF&#946;, and IL-6 have been used for the development of human Th17 cells. Human Th17 cells express CCR6, a chemokine receptor that is commonly used to identify this cell population and are defined by the expression of their principal transcription factor, ROR&#947;t (encoded by RORC)5,6. Th17 cells have the ability to express multiple cytokines, but IL-17A is the lineage-defining effector cytokine produced by these cells. We examined the expression of all three Th17-associated markers (CCR6, ROR&#947;t, IL-17A) to assess the robustness of our human Th17 in vitro differentiation assay. Additionally, we cultured human CD4+ T cells under non-polarizing conditions, where no cytokines or blocking antibodies were added to the culture media to use as a negative control since expression of these Th17 markers should be very low or absent.
One way to study normal human T cell development and biology is to manipulate gene expression during their development. Short-interfering RNA (siRNA) are synthetic small RNA molecules that target protein-coding mRNAs and can be utilized to reduce specific gene expression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding small RNAs known to modulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. miRNAs have been shown to play an important role in both murine and human T cell biology, including in Th17 cells7,8,9. It is crucial to have reliable methods of manipulating small RNA activity in human T cells to study their effects on gene expression and ultimately on human T cell biology. Here, we describe an easy-to-use, consistent and reliable protocol that we developed for introducing small synthetic RNAs and locked nucleic acids (LNAs, chemically modified nucleic acids with increased stability) into immune cells, and specifically into human Th17 cells.
There are several alternative methods of introducing small RNAs into mammalian cells, which generally fall into chemical, biological, or physical categories10. Commonly used chemical methods, including lipid-based transfections and calcium-phosphate transfections, rely on creating chemical-DNA complexes that are more efficiently taken up by cells. In general, chemical methods are not as efficient for the transfection of primary T cells. The most common biological method is to use a viral vector (e.g. retrovirus or lentivirus), which directly inserts foreign RNA into a host as a part of its natural replication cycle. Viral transduction typically takes longer to complete, especially when one factors in time for molecular cloning of proviral plasmids. Additionally, viral transduction vectors can be potentially harmful to human researchers. Electroporation is a physical method of inducing membrane permeabilization by subjecting cells to high voltage pulses, allowing nucleic acids to transiently enter into the cell where they can act on their target. Traditional electroporation instruments were not effective for transfecting primary lymphocytes. However, optimized next generation electroporation has proven to be capable of transfecting T cells at very high efficiency, especially when the material to be transfected is small RNA. The term next generation is loosely used to differentiate the two newer platforms (e.g., Neon, Amaxa) from traditional electroporation machines. Additionally, this method is easily scalable for moderate throughput screens with up to approximately 120 small RNAs in a single experiment, often using validated synthetic reagents. Importantly, successful transfections can be achieved in as little as 16 h after T cell activation. The disadvantage of this method, however, is that it does not result in stable genomic incorporation, and is therefore transient. Hence, it is worth the extra effort to create a stable expression construct that can be packaged into a viral vector and successfully expressed in T cells in cases where long-term expression of a small RNA is required.
We have used a next generation transfection (e.g., Neon) to deliver diverse synthetic single or double-stranded RNA or LNA oligonucleotide tools for different purposes11,12,13. Efficient RNA interference can be induced in primary mouse and human T cells using double-stranded short-interfering RNA (siRNA). This protocol describes optimized conditions for using this technique in human Th17 cells. In addition to siRNAs, commercially available synthetic miRNA mimics and inhibitors can be used to study miRNA gain and loss of function. miRNA mimics are double-stranded RNA molecules very similar to siRNAs, but designed with the sequence of endogenous mature miRNAs. miRNA inhibitors are chemically-modified RNA and/or LNA based single stranded oligonucleotides that bind to native miRNAs and antagonize their function. We have found that all of these tools can be used effectively in cultured primary T lymphocytes, including but not limited to human Th17 cells.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-human IL-17A PE</td>
			<td>ebioscience</td>
			<td>12-7179-42&#160;</td>
			<td>Clone: eBio64DEC17</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-human IFNg FITC</td>
			<td>ebioscience</td>
			<td>11-7319-82</td>
			<td>Clone: 4S.B3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-human CD4 eVolve605</td>
			<td>ebioscience</td>
			<td>83-0047-42</td>
			<td>Clone: SK3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>mouse anti-human CD196 (CCR6) BV421</td>
			<td>BD biosciences</td>
			<td>562515</td>
			<td>Clone: 11A9</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-human RORgt AF647</td>
			<td>BD biosciences</td>
			<td>563620</td>
			<td>Clone: Q21-559</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-human CD45 eFluor450</td>
			<td>ebioscience</td>
			<td>48-9459-42</td>
			<td>Clone: 2D1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Foxp3/Trascription Factor Staining Buffer Set</td>
			<td>ebioscience</td>
			<td>00-5523-00</td>
			<td>For intracellular transcription factor flow cytometry staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hu FcR Binding Inhibitor Purified</td>
			<td>ebioscience</td>
			<td>14-9161-71</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ImmunoCult-XF T Cell Expansion Medium</td>
			<td>Stemcell Technologies</td>
			<td>10981</td>
			<td>&#34;Serum-Free Base Media&#34;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MACS CD28 pure functional grade, human</td>
			<td>Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td>130-093-375</td>
			<td>Clone: 15E8</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-human CD3 Purified</td>
			<td>UCSF monoclonal antibody core</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td>Clone: OKT-3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LEAF purified anti-human IL-4</td>
			<td>Biolegend</td>
			<td>500815</td>
			<td>Clone: MP4-25D2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-human IFNg, functional grade purified</td>
			<td>ebioscience</td>
			<td>16-7318-85</td>
			<td>Clone: NIB42</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant human IL-23</td>
			<td>Peprotech&#160;</td>
			<td>200-23</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant human IL-1&#946;</td>
			<td>Peprotech&#160;</td>
			<td>200-01B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant human TGF-&#946;1</td>
			<td>Peprotech&#160;</td>
			<td>100-21C</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant human IL-6</td>
			<td>Peprotech&#160;</td>
			<td>200-06</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>siGENOME Control Pool, Non-targeting #2</td>
			<td>Dharmacon</td>
			<td>D-001206-14-05</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>siGENOME SMARTpool Human RORC</td>
			<td>Dharmacon</td>
			<td>M-003442-00</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>siGENOME SMARTpool Human PTPRC</td>
			<td>Dharmacon</td>
			<td>M-008067-01</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dynabeads Untouched Human CD4 T Cells Kit</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>11346D</td>
			<td>Human CD4+ T cell Isolation Kit</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Neon Tranfection System</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>MPK5000</td>
			<td>Next generation electroporation instrument</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Neon Tranfection System 10 &#956;l Kit</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>MPK1096</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Resuspension Buffer T</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>Provided in kit (MPK1096)</td>
			<td>&#34;Transfection Resuspension Buffer&#34;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lymphoprep</td>
			<td>Stemcell Technologies</td>
			<td>#07801</td>
			<td>Density Gradient Medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>costar 6-well tissue culture treated plates</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>3516</td>
			<td>flat bottom plates</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>costar 48-well tissue culture treated plates</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>3548</td>
			<td>flat bottom plates</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD Pharm Lyse lysing buffer, 10 X</td>
			<td>BD biosciences</td>
			<td>555899</td>
			<td>Must make 1X solution with distilled water prior to use</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

small rna transfection in primary human th17 cells by next generation electroporation

CD4+ T cells can differentiate into several subsets of effector T helper cells depending on the surrounding cytokine milieu. Th17 cells can be generated from na&#239;ve CD4+ T cells in vitro by activating them in the presence of the polarizing cytokines IL-1&#946;, IL-6, IL-23, and TGF&#946;. Th17 cells orchestrate immunity against extracellular bacteria and fungi, but their aberrant activity has also been associated with several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Th17 cells are identified by the chemokine receptor CCR6 and defined by their master transcription factor, ROR&#947;t, and characteristic effector cytokine, IL-17A. Optimized culture conditions for Th17 cell differentiation facilitate mechanistic studies of human T cell biology in a controlled environment. They also provide a setting for studying the importance of specific genes and gene expression programs through RNA interference or the introduction of microRNA (miRNA) mimics or inhibitors. This protocol provides an easy to use, reproducible, and highly efficient method for transient transfection of differentiating primary human Th17 cells with small RNAs using a next generation electroporation device.

The first step to developing a reliable system of successfully electroporating human Th17 cells was to generate robust in vitro differentiated human Th17 cell cultures. T cells cultured under Th17-polarizing conditions expressed the chemokine receptor CCR6 and the transcription factor ROR&#947;t (Figure 1A, left). These markers were not expressed when T cells were cultured under non-polarizing (ThN) conditions (Figure 1A, right). T cells cultured...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Small RNA Transfection in Primary Human Th17 Cells by Next Generation Electroporation at JoVE.com

Small RNA Transfection in Primary Human Th17 Cells by Next Generation Electroporation

Next generation electroporation is an efficient method for transfecting human Th17 cells with small RNAs to alter gene expression and cell behavior.

CD4+ T cells can differentiate into several subsets of effector T helper cells depending on the surrounding cytokine milieu. Th17 cells can be generated ...

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