A NEW CLASS OF ANTI-HIV-1 OLIGONUCLEOTIDE TARGETED TO THE POLYPURINE TRACT OF VIRAL RNA

The PPT is highly conserved among the known HIV-1 strains, and is a possible target for triplex formation. We show triple-helix formation by a two-strand-system (FTFOs, DsDGloopT5-37) targeted to the polypurine tract (PPT) of HIV-1. In HIV-1 infected MOLT-4 cells, the FTFOs containing phosphorothioate groups at the antisense strand and guanosine rich parts within the third Hoogsteen base pairing sequence inhibit the replication of HIV-1 more effectively than the antisense phos-phorothioate oligonucleotides indicating sequence-specific inhibition of HIV-1 replication for 62 days. However, AZT, treated cells expressed high levels of p 24 products after 46 days.