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

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 summaryMINT-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)