Construction of small interfering RNA expression vector targeting integrin β1

Objective To design and construct H1 promoter-based small interfering RNA (siRNA) expression vectors specific to integrin β1 and determine their effects on the expression of integrin β1. Methods DNA oligonucleotides targeting integrin β1 at different locations were synthesized and inserted into BamHⅠ-HindⅢ linearized pSinencer3.1/H1 plasmids. The inserted sequences were verified by DNA sequencing. The keratinocyte stem cells were transfected by positive reconstructed plasmids and the expression of integrin β1 protein was observed by immunoblot assay. Results The vector-based siRNAi could suppress integrin β1 gene expression specifically. Conclusion Vector-based siRNA expression plasmids have been constructed successfully, which lays the foundation for the studies of the regulatory role of integrin β1 in the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocyte stem cells.