Refresh your awareness! Scientists have found that the surface of human cells is stable attached to RNA molecules.

According to a research paper officially published in Gene Biology, Professor Zhongsheng of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and his team, led by co-authors Professors Zhang Liangfang and Chen Jin, identified these cell surface RNA molecules by genomic coding in the nuclea of cells using specially developed detection and sequencing techniques.
past, it has been thought that RNA produced by the human nuclear genome does not exist on the surface of cells with complete cell membranes, and this new discovery has refreshed our understanding of cell surface molecules.
" cell's outer surface is like a human face, to identify whether a cell is good or bad, such as immune T cells or tumor cells, the most important thing is to see what is on its surface.
" Professor Bell explains, "The surface molecules of cells facilitate cell communication and interaction."
", the findings mean that RNA molecules play a greater role in cell-to-cell interactions, cell-to-environment, than has been known in the past.
researchers named this type of RNA membrane-related extracell RNA, or maxRNA.
RNA molecules are neither encapsulated in any vesicles nor easily shedded from the cell surface.
scientists were able to detect the presence of maxRNA in mouse and human cells, thanks to specially developed Surface-sequencing technology.
, one of the lead authors of the study, is an innovator in nanomedical science, and his team has developed a nanotechnology that can extract a portion of a cell membrane from a cell and wrap it in nanoparticles.
this technique preserves the internal and external orientation of the cell membrane and completely removes interference from the cell contents.
, the researchers developed two sequencing techniques to identify RNA molecules that are stable on the outer layer of the cell membrane.
Two surface sequencing techniques developed on the basis of cell membrane nanoparticles (Photo Source: Reference: Resources) The team then combined RNA fluorescence in-place hybridization, single-cell sequencing, and single-cell analysis techniques to analyze the maxRNA molecular sequences, cell type specificity, and functional properties of human exodus monocytes for building a surface sequencing library.
"We now know that a part of the human genome can regulate the external presentation of cells and their interactions with other cells by producing maxRNA, a finding that broadens our understanding of the human genome."
," said Dr. Norman Huang, lead author of the study.
using fluorescent probes (indicated by red arrows) and single-molecule imaging techniques to see maxRNA on cell surfaces (pictured: Resources2) the team says their next step is to study how maxRNA is transported to and fixed to the cell surface and their specific contribution to cell function.
further understanding of maxRNA may lead to new treatment strategies.
researchers point out that because maxRNA is located on the outside of the cell membrane, it is easier to be contacted than targets in cells and can be more convenient drug targets.
addition, existing antisant oligonucleotide technologies can specificly target RNA molecules and inhibit them efficiently, providing another convenience for drug development.
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2020) Natural display of nuclear-encoded RNA on the cell surface and its impact on cell Interaction. Genome Biology.Add human-genome produced RNA to the list of cell surface molecules. Retrieved Sep. 10, 2020, from.