Chemically modified mRNAs are extensively studied with a view toward their clinical application. In particular, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) containing SINE elements, which enhance the translation of their target mRNAs (i.e., SINEUPs), have potential as RNA therapies for various diseases, such as haploinsufficiencies. To establish a SINEUP-based system for efficient protein expression, we directly transfected chemically modified in vitro transcribed (mIVT) SINEUP RNAs to examine their effects on target mRNA translation. mIVT SINEUP RNAs enhanced translation of EGFP mRNA and endogenous target Sox9 mRNA in both cultured cells and a cell-free translation system. Our findings reveal the functional role of RNA modifications in SINEUPs and suggest several broad clinical applications of such an RNA regulatory system.
Keywords: RNA modification; enhancement of endogenous target mRNA translation; in vitro transcribed RNA; nucleic acid-based therapeutics.
© 2020 The Authors. FEBS Letters published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.