Aim: NF-kappaB, regulate the expression of cytokine-inducible genes involving immune and inflammatory responses, will be potential therapy approach for allograft from rejection. In this study, we use pCMV- IkappaBalphaM vector to inhibit NF-kappaB activation and investigate the effect of pCMV- IkappaBalphaM in inhibition of T cells adhesion to endothelial cells.
Methods: The NF-kappaB activity was detected with pNF-kappaB reporter gene and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Expression of cell surface molecules was detected by RT-PCR and flow cytometer. The cell-cell adhesion assay was performed to determine the effect of pCMV-IkappaBalphaM in inhibition of T cells adhesion to endothelial cells.
Results: We could find that NF-kappaB activity is inhibited by over-expression of non-degraded IkappaBalpha protein. Expression of adhesion molecules like ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and P-selectin as well as cell-cell adhesion were inhibited significantly by transfection of the pCMV- IkappaBalphaM vector.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that the pCMV- IkappaBalphaM, which inhibit the activity of NF-kappaB through over-expression of non-degraded IkappaBalpha protein, can be used for gene therapy in diseases involving NF-kappaB activation abnormally like organ transplantation via inhibiting cell adhesion.