RNAi off-target analysis in Trp53-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts transduced with miRNA-based shRNAs targeting Trp53

We analyzed miRNA-based shRNA off-target effects by transducing Trp53-/- MEFs at single- and high-copy with six well-characterized, potent and weak Trp53 shRNAs. To advance RNAi therapy for KRAS-mutant cancer, we developed a functionally validated library of siRNAs against RAS pathway genes that minimize off-target effects and enable combination gene silencing at low dose. We developed an in vivo model for real-time tracking of nanoparticle-based siRNA delivery and offer proof-of-principle that siRNA-mediated inhibition of a single gene (KRAS) or combinations of genes (A/B/C-RAF or KRAS+PIK3C-A/B) can impair the growth of KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer xenografts. Trp53-/- MEFs were transduced with LMP expressing Trp53 shRNAs at single copy (11-21% infection efficiency) and high copy (>98% infection efficiency), selected on puromycin and grown in absence of the selection agent before harvest. Uninfected Trp53-/- MEFs and Trp53-/- MEFs infected with an empty vector control served as “no shRNA” reference.