Expression analysis of Huh-7 cells treated with LNA gapmer targeting glucocorticoid receptor (GR) RNA

Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) has the potential to induce off-target effects due by inadvertent binding of ASOs to unintended RNAs that have a sequence similar to the target RNA. In the present study, we focused on the effects of oligonucleotide extension of gapmer ASOs on off-target effects. We performed microarray analysis using Huh-7 cells (human liver-derived cells) treated with a 14-mer LNA gapmer ASO and the extended 18-mer derivatives with the same core 14-mer region. The Huh-7 cells were seeded in 12-well plates (n = 4/group) and transfected with the LNA-gapmer ASOs using Lipofectamine® 2000 according to the manufacturer’s protocol.Cells treated with transfection reagent in the absence of ASO were used as a control. After a further 24 h, total RNA was isolated.