Supervisors info:
Μαυρογιάννη Δέσποινα, ΕΔΙΠ, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπουσα
Δρακάκης Πέτρος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Σταύρος Σοφοκλής, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal testing procedure that involves the
removal of a small sample of placental tissue (chorionic villi) from the uterus. This
procedure is typically performed between the 10th and 13th weeks of pregnancy and
is used to gather information about the baby's chromosomes, detect genetic
disorders, and assess certain conditions. From a CVS sample, it was chosen to culture
trophoblastic cells with the aim of isolating genetic material for gene expression
analysis. Trophoblast cells express a variety of genes involved in the establishment and
maintenance of pregnancy. These genes are often associated with processes such as
invasion of the uterine lining, modulation of the immune response, and the formation
of the placenta. The specific genes expressed can vary depending on the
developmental stage of the trophoblast cells and their specific functions during
pregnancy. Studying these genes is important for understanding the molecular
mechanisms underlying successful embryonic development and pregnancy.
Using molecular techniques, genetic material was isolated from the cultured germ
cells. Subsequently, the expression of the NANOG genes was detected. Mutations or
deficiencies in these genes are associated with pathological conditions, disorders
related to gametogenesis, and infertility.
With a focus on future research, the use of the RNA interference (RNAi) technique was
selected for further exploration, aiming to implement this technique in reproductive
tissue. RNA interference (RNAi) is a regulatory mechanism of gene expression in which
RNA suppresses the expression of complementary genes. Genetically, this mechanism
appears to have originated from early anti-viral immune mechanisms and plays a
significant role in genetic regulation, evolutionary biology, and genome preservation.
In mammalian cells, RNA interference is involved in various biological functions,
including the regulation of developmental processes, cellular differentiation, immune
response, and maintenance of genome stability. In this thesis we used siRNA
synthetized oligonucleotides for gene silencing which are relatively simple and quick
to generate, contrary to shRNAs (short hairpin RNAs). shRNAs are delivered to cells
using plasmids or vectors and that’s the reason why we prefer siRNAs, to avoid
infections at the laboratory.
Keywords:
RNAi, RNA silencing, RNA interference, CVS, Nanog
