RORC2 Gene Silencing in Human Th17 Cells by siRNA: Design and Evaluation of Highly Efficient siRNA

BACKGROUND: RNA interference-based gene silencing has recently been applied as an efficient tool for functional gene analysis. RORC2 is the key transcription factor orchestrating Th17 cells differentiation, the cells that are known as the pathogenic elements in various autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to design efficient siRNAs specific for RORC2 and to evaluate different criteria affecting their functionality. METHODS: Three siRNA duplexes specific for RORC2 mRNA were designed. Th17 cells were produced from IL-6 and IL-1 treated cord blood CD4(+) T cells. The T cells were transfected with three different designed siRNAs against RORC2 and the expression of RORC2 gene was measured using quantitative real time PCR. RESULTS: Different levels of RORC2 down regulation were observed in the presence of each of the designed siRNAs. Efficient siRNA with 91.1% silencing activity met the majority of the established bioinformatics criteria while the one with 46.6% silencing activity had more deviations from these criteria. CONCLUSION: The more bioinformatics criteria are considered, the more functionality were observed for silencing RORC2. However, the importance of the type of criteria per se should not be neglected. Although all recommended criteria are important for designing siRNA but their value is not the same.