The RNA aptamer disrupts protein–protein interaction between β‐catenin and nuclear factor‐κB p50 and regulates the expression of C‐reactive protein

Abstract Transcription is activated by signal-induced protein–protein interaction between transcription factors on regulatory elements positioned near their target genes. Here, we tested the utility of the β-catenin binding RNA aptamer as a tool for studying protein–protein interaction within transcription complex and for modulating expression of a target gene. The RNA aptamer bound Armadillo repeats of β-catenin and was effective in disrupting protein–protein interaction between β-catenin and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p50. In addition, the RNA aptamer effectively reduced tumor necrosis factor-α induced transcription from the promoter of C-reactive protein regulated by β-catenin and NF-κB p50. Taken together, β-catenin binding RNA aptamer was an effective regulator of β-catenin and NF-κB p50 mediated transcription. Structured summary MINT- 7023762 : beta catenin (uniprotkb: P35222 ) physically interacts (MI: 0218 ) with NF-kappa-B p50 (uniprotkb: P19838 ) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI: 0006 ) MINT- 7023938 : beta catenin (uniprotkb: P35222 ) binds (MI: 0407 ) to TCF-1 (uniprotkb: P36402 ) by pull down (MI: 0096 ) MINT- 7023862 : beta catenin (uniprotkb: P35222 ) binds (MI: 0407 ) to NF-kappa-B p50 (uniprotkb: P19838 ) by pull down (MI: 0096 )