Enhanced Specificity of Minimally Modified Anti-c-myc Oligonucleotides

Abstract

The sequence-specificity of antisense oligonucleotides (ODN) against c-myc mRNA was tested by Northern blot analysis. Rat smooth muscle cells were treated with antisense or control ODN against c-myc modified by the “minimal protection strategy”. At 0.3 μM concentration the ODN show a very specific reduction in c-myc mRNA levels. Use of the “minimal protection strategy” minimizes nonspecific effects as observed for all-phosphorothioate ODN containing four consecutive guanine residues.     

Conversion of Unprotected Amino-Link Oligonucleotides into Their Tetramethylguanidinium Derivatives

Abstract

The preparation of tetramethylguanidinium oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) derivatives by reaction of the corresponding aminoalkyl-ODN with the uronium salts HBTU, TBTU or HATU, respectively, is described. The binding affinity of the new tetramethylguanidinium ODN derivatives was determined.     

Targeted Delivery of Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotides Formulated in a Novel Lipidic Vector

Abstract

A novel lipidic system has been developed to selectively deliver oligo-deoxynucleotides (ODN) to target cells. It involves the complexation of ODN with polylysine, followed by the addition of pH-sensitive liposomes that contain a targeting ligand, folate. The resulting particles, named LPDII, efficiently and selectively deliver ODN to human KB cells which overexpress folate-binding proteins (FBP). When an ODN against epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) was formulated in LPDII, delivery of these particles to KB cells resulted in down-regulation of EGFR and also cell growth inhibition. Free ODN exhibited no inhibitory effect on the growth of KB cells in the same concentration range. An ODN of scrambled sequence, free or formulated in LPDII, also failed to inhibit the growth of KB cells. Finally, the antisense effect of ODN on KB cells was inhibited by an excess amount of free folate, suggesting that the sequence-dependent effect of the ODN was mediated by folate binding protein.     

Histological Localization of Phosphorothioate Oligodeoxynucleotides in Normal Rodent Tissue

Abstract

The distribution of phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (P=S ODN) in rodent tissues was studied in vivo using three histological methods: direct fluorescence microscopy; immunohistochemistry; and autoradiography. All three methods gave essentially the same pattern of oligonucleotide localization in the tissues studied, and the histological results correlate well with those from radiochemical and biochemical studies of P=S ODN distribution.     

Convenient Synthesis of Oligodeoxynucleotides Containing 2′-Deoxy-6-thioinosine

Abstract

A facile synthesis of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing 2′-deoxy-6-thioinosine (dI^6S) based on the convertible nucleoside O6-phenyl-2′-deoxyinosine is presented. After standard solid-phase DNA synthesis and removal of the cyanoethyl protecting groups with DBU treatment with aqueous sodium hydrogen sulfide introduces the sulfur functionality, deprotects the other nucleobases and cleaves the ODN from the solid support in a one-pot reaction. In addition, the extinction coefficient of 2′-deoxy-6-thioinosine is determined by enzymatic fragmentation of the resulting ODN in the presence of adenosine deaminase.     

Specifically Designed Polymeric Nanospheres Increase Cellular Uptake of Unmodified Antisense ODNs

Abstract

The cellular uptake and the inhibitory effect of c-myb unmodified antisense oligonucleotides reversibly bound to new polymeric nanoparticles in HL-60 cellular system have been found to increase by 50 folds if compared with the free ODN. An initial single dose (320 nM) of the nanoparticle bound unmodified antimyb ODN has been able to specifically inhibit HL-60 leukemia cell proliferation for at least 8 days.     

Solid-Supported Oligonucleotide Systems for Special Biomedical Applications

Abstract

The use of composite beads consisting of a 6 μm polystyrene core with 30 nm surface-bound silica particles to routine automatic oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) synthesis is described.     

Uptake and Intracellular Distribution of Oligonucleotides Vectorized by a PAMAM Dendrimer

Abstract

We studied the uptake and intracellular distribution of an FITC labelled phosphodiester oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) vectorized by a dendrimeric structure in cell culture.     

Development of a Rapid Screening System to Test Antisense ODN Modifications and Carriers

Abstract

We developed a rapid screening system, using two reporter genes under the control of the same promoter, to identify the biological activity of modified or/and vectorized antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs). The ability of a dendrimeric structure and a monocationic cholesterol derivative to enhance ODN cellular uptake was previously investigated by fluorescence analysis. Then, the assay system was validated through investigating the effect of both vectors on antisense ODN efficiency.     

Positioning of Functionalities in a Heteroduplex Major Groove: Synthesis of 7-Deaza-2-Amino-2′-deoxyadenosines

Abstract

We have synthesized the 7-iodo-, 7-cyano-and 7-propynyl-7-deaza-2-ainino-2′-deoxyadenosines and incorporated each into several oligonucleotide (ODN) sequences. These oligonucleotides exhibit enhanced binding affinities to RNA complements relative to unmodified sequences.     

UNUSUAL MONOMOLECULAR DNA QUADRUPLEX STRUCTURES USING BUNCH-OLIGONUCLEOTIDES

The chemical synthesis of several G-rich bunch-oligonucleotides and the structural characterization of the corresponding monomolecular G-quadruplexes (I–IV) have been reported. The synthetic method allow the achievement of monomolecular DNA quadruplex structures having unusual and predeterminable oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ODN) strand orientation.     

SITE-DIRECTED ALKYLATION TO CYTIDINE WITHIN DUPLEX BY THE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES CONTAINING FUNCTIONAL NUCLEOBASES

We have previously described that oligonucleotides (ODN) containing phenylsulfoxide derivative of 2-amino-6-vinylpurine nucleoside analog (1) are activated within duplex to form cross-link toward cytidine selectively at the target site. In this paper, we wish to report the search for more stable precursor susceptible for activation within duplex.     

Oligonucleotide Synthesis on Linear Reactive Polymer Grafted onto Solid Support,Medical Diagnostics Applications

Abstract

A new strategy has been developed to obtain polymer-ODN conjugates. However, free ODN appeared to contaminate synthesis. Various hypotheses are described herein to explain this side reaction.     

Inhibition of 5-α-Reductase (TYPE-II) Expression by Antisense 3′-Deoxy-(2′-5′) Oligonucleotide Chimeras

Abstract

ABSTRACT: 3′-Deoxy-(2′-5′) oligonucleotides bind selectively to complementary RNA but not to DNA. 3′-Deoxy-(2′-5′) phosphorothioate ODN chimeras embedded with a short stretch of 3′-5′ phosphorothioate cassette are potent inhibitors of steroid 5-α-reductasc expression with significantly less non-specific interactions in cell culture.     

Thermolytic CpG-containing DNA oligonucleotides as potential immunotherapeutic prodrugs

A CpG-containing DNA oligonucleotide functionalized with the 2-(N-formyl-N-methyl)aminoethyl thiophosphate protecting group (CpG ODN fma1555) was prepared from phosphoramidites 1a–d using solid-phase techniques. The oligonucleotide behaved as a prodrug by virtue of its conversion to the well-studied immunomodulatory CpG ODN 1555 through thermolytic cleavage of the 2-(N-formyl-N-methyl)aminoethyl thiophosphate protecting group. Such a conversion occurred at 37°C with a half-time of 73 h. The immunostimulatory properties of CpG ODN fma1555 were evaluated in two in vivo assays, one of which consisted of mice challenged in the ear with live Leishmania major metacyclic promastigotes. Local intradermal administration of CpG ODN fma1555 was as effective as that of CpG ODN 1555 in reducing the size of Leishmania lesions over time. In a different infectious model, CpG ODN 1555 prevented the death of Tacaribe-infected mice (43% survival) when administered between day 0 and 3 post infection. Administration of CpG ODN fma1555 three days before infection resulted in improved immunoprotection (60–70% survival). Moreover, co-administration of CpG ODN fma1555 and CpG ODN 1555 in this model increased the window for therapeutic treatment against Tacaribe virus infection, and thus supports the use of thermolytic oligonucleotides as prodrugs in the effective treatment of infectious diseases.     

A New Odorless Procedure for the Synthesis of 2′-Deoxy-6-Thioguanosine and Its Incorporation into Oligodeoxynucleotides

6-S-[2-[(2-ethylhexyl)oxycarbonyl]ethyl)}-3′,5′-O-bis(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-2′-deoxy-6-thiogua nosine (2) was synthesized in high yield from the corresponding 6-O-mesitylenesulfonyl derivative by the reaction with 2-ethylhexyl 3-mercapto-propionate. The phosphoramidite precursor derived from 2 was successfully applied to an automated DNA synthesizer to produce 2′-deoxy-6-thioguanosine containing ODN. The results showed that 2-ethylhexyl 3-mercaptopropionate is useful as an odor less reagent and also as an S-protecting group of 2′-deoxy-6-thioguanosine.     

RNase H Activation by Stereoregular Boranophosphate Oligonucleotide

Abstract

A stereoregular all-(S _p)-boranophosphate oligodeoxyribonucleotide (BH₃ ^?-ODN) 15-mer was synthesized using an enzymatic approach. The BH₃ ^?-ODN formed a hybrid with the complementary RNA 15-mer and induced RNase H hydrolysis of the RNA strand at ODN concentrations as low as 10 nM at 37°C, but with a lower efficiency than that of its natural phosphodiester analogue.     

Enhanced cellular uptake of a triplex-forming oligonucleotide by nanoparticle formation in the presence of polypropylenimine dendrimers

We used polypropylenimine dendrimers for delivering a 31 nt triplex-forming oligonucleotide (ODN) in breast, prostate and ovarian cancer cell lines, using ³²P-labeled ODN. Dendrimers enhanced the uptake of ODN by ~14-fold in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, compared with control ODN uptake. Dendrimers exerted their effect in a concentration- and molecular weight-dependent manner, with generation 4 (G-4) dendrimer having maximum efficacy. A similar increase in ODN uptake was found with MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 (breast), LNCaP (prostate) and SK-OV-3 (ovarian) cancer cells. The dendrimers had no significant effect on cell viability at concentrations at which maximum ODN uptake occurred. [³H]Thymidine incorporation showed that complexing the ODN with G-4 significantly increased the growth-inhibitory effect of the ODN. Western blot analysis showed a significant 65% reduction of c-myc protein level in ODN–G-4 treated cells compared with that of ODN-treated/control cells. Gel electrophoretic analysis showed that ODN remained intact in cells even after 48 h of treatment. The hydrodynamic radii of nanoparticles formed from ODN in the presence of the dendrimers were in the range of 130–280 nm, as determined by dynamic laser light scattering. Taken together, our results indicate that polypropylenimine dendrimers might be useful vehicles for delivering therapeutic oligonucleotides in cancer cells.     

The octadecaneuropeptide ODN prevents 6‐hydroxydopamine‐induced apoptosis of cerebellar granule neurons through a PKC‐MAPK‐dependent pathway

Oxidative stress, induced by various neurodegenerative diseases, initiates a cascade of events leading to apoptosis, and thus plays a critical role in neuronal injury. In this study, we have investigated the potential neuroprotective effect of the octadecaneuropeptide (ODN) on 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA)‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons (CGN). ODN, which is produced by astrocytes, is an endogenous ligand for both central‐type benzodiazepine receptors (CBR) and a metabotropic receptor. Incubation of neurons with subnanomolar concentrations of ODN (10^?18 to 10^?12 M) inhibited 6‐OHDA‐evoked cell death in a concentration‐dependent manner. The effect of ODN on neuronal survival was abrogated by the metabotropic receptor antagonist, cyclo_1–8[DLeu⁵]OP, but not by a CBR antagonist. ODN stimulated polyphosphoinositide turnover and ERK phosphorylation in CGN. The protective effect of ODN against 6‐OHDA toxicity involved the phospholipase C/ERK MAPK transduction cascade. 6‐OHDA treatment induced an accumulation of reactive oxygen species, an increase of the expression of the pro‐apoptotic gene Bax, a drop of the mitochondrial membrane potential and a stimulation of caspase‐3 activity. Exposure of 6‐OHDA‐treated cells to ODN blocked all the deleterious effects of the toxin. Taken together, these data demonstrate for the first time that ODN is a neuroprotective agent that prevents 6‐OHDA‐induced oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death.     

Blockade of morphine supersensitivity by an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide targeting the delta opioid receptor (DOR-1)

An antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) targeting 20 bases of the coding sequence of the cloned delta opioid receptor (DOR-1), a mismatched ODN (different from the antisense ODN at 4 bases) or saline was administered to 3 groups of CD-1 mice implanted with naltrexone pellets (7.5 mg) for 7 days. Morphine supersensitivity (i.e., increased potency as defined by decreased morphine ED₅₀ values) was observed 24 h after pellet removal (day 8) in mice treated with saline or mismatch ODN, but not in antisense ODN treated mice. Antisense ODN alone had no effect on basal nociceptive thresholds or morphine analgesia but reduced the analgesic potency of the delta₂ opioid agonist [D-Ala²]deltorphin II. These data suggest that the delta₂ opioid receptor system participates in the adaptive changes contributing to increased morphine potency following chronic naltrexone treatment.