Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Wickstrom

Publications and source records attributed to E Wickstrom.

80 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Interactions between single-stranded DNA binding protein and oligonucleotide analogs with different backbone chemistries.

Chemical modification of backbone structures has been an important strategy in designing oligonucleotides capable of improved antisense effects. However, altered backbone chemistry may also affect the binding of oligonucleotides to key cellular proteins, and thus may impact on the overall biological action of antisense agents. In this study we have examined the binding of oligonucleotides having four different backbone chemistries to single-strand binding protein (SSB), a protein having a key role in DNA repair and replication. The oligomers tested had the same sequence, while the internucleoside linkages were phosphodiester (PO), phosphorothioate (PS), phosphorodithioate (PS2), or methylphosphonate (MP). We found that both PS and PS2 oligomers bound to SSB with higher affinity than PO oligonucleotides, while MP oligonucleotides did not bind appreciably at the concentrations tested. Oligonucleotide length was also an important factor in binding to SSB, but sequence was less critical. These observations indicate that backbone chemistry is an important factor in interactions between oligonucleotides and critical cellular proteins, and thus may be a key determinant of the biological effects of antisense oligonucleotides.

Binding, Competitive↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Synthesis and characterization of a peptide nucleic acid conjugated to a D-peptide analog of insulin-like growth factor 1 for increased cellular uptake.

DNA therapeutics show great potential for gene-specific, nontoxic therapy of a wide variety of diseases. The deoxyribose phosphate backbone of DNA has been modified in a number of ways to improve nuclease stability and cell membrane permeability. Recently, a new DNA derivative with an amide backbone instead of a deoxyribose phosphate backbone, peptide nucleic acid (PNA), has shown tremendous potential as an antisense agent. Although PNAs hybridize very strongly and specifically to RNA and DNA, they are taken up by cells very poorly, limiting their potential as nucleic acid binding agents. To improve cellular uptake of a PNA sequence, it was conjugated to a D-amino acid analog of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), which binds selectively to the cell surface receptor for insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1R). The IGF1 D-peptide analog was assembled on (4-methylbenzhydryl)amine resin, and then the PNA was extended as a continuation of the peptide. The conjugate and control sequences were radiolabeled with 14C or fluorescently labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate. Cellular uptake of the PNA-peptide conjugate, a control with two alanines in the peptide, and a control PNA without the peptide segment were studied in murine BALB/c 3T3 cells, which express low levels of murine IGF1R, in p6 cells, which are BALB/c 3T3 cells which overexpress a transfected human IGF1R gene, and in human Jurkat cells, which do not express IGF1R, as a negative control. The specific PNA-peptide conjugate displayed much higher uptake than the control PNA, but only in cells expressing IGF1R. This approach may allow cell-specific and tissue-specific application of PNAs as gene-regulating agents in vivo.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A c-myc antisense oligodeoxynucleotide inhibits entry into S phase but not progress from G0 to G1.

Initiation of T-lymphocyte proliferation by mitogen or antigen involves a cascade of gene activation events. Thus, by the time mitogen-activated T cells have reached the G1/S interface, many genes that are transcriptionally silent in G0, like the c-myc, IL-2, IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) and transferrin receptor (TfR) genes, have been transcriptionally activated. To understand the role of the individual genes in the activation process, one must be able to interfere specifically with the expression or function of each particular gene product. In this way, by blocking the IL-2R with an antibody, it has been demonstrated that IL-2/IL-2R interaction is required to induce TfR expression in activated T cells. When the function or expression of intracellular proteins is to be blocked, however, the need to introduce antibodies into the cytoplasm of viable cells, although possible, is a limiting factor. We have taken another approach, namely the exogenous addition to bulk cell cultures of small antisense oligomers. Sequence-specific antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides have been reported to inhibit intracellular viral replication without interfering with cellular protein synthesis. Similarly, rabbit globin mRNA translation in a cell-free system and in rabbit reticulocytes has been inhibited by oligomers complementary to the globin mRNA initiation codon region. Recently, a pentadecadeoxyribonucleotide complementary to the initiation codon and four downstream codons of human c-myc mRNA was reported to inhibit the proliferation of the human leukaemic cell line HL-60 specifically. We report here that the same c-myc complementary oligonucleotide inhibits mitogen-induced c-myc protein expression in human T lymphocytes and prevents S phase entry. Interestingly, c-myc antisense treatment did not inhibit G0 to G1 traversal as assessed by morphologic blast transformation, transcriptional activation of the IL-2R and TfR genes, or induction of 3H-uridine incorporation.

Cell Division↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cleavage of RNA in a hybrid duplex by E. coli ribonuclease H. III. Substrate characteristics of hybrid duplexes of RNA and oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing a bleomycin A5 residue].

The effect of the bleomycin A5 residue linked to four-, eight-, and twelve-mer oligodeoxyribonucleotides on the substrate properties of their tandem and continuous (with or without unmodified octanucleotide effectors) hybrid duplexes was studied using E. coli RNase H. The bleomycin derivatives of oligodeoxyribonucleotides were shown to form hybrid duplexes with practically the same thermostability as those formed by unmodified oligodeoxyribonucleotides. The RNA in the bleomycin-containing hybrid duplexes is cleaved by the E. coli RNase H; however, the initial hydrolysis rate (v0) is 2.6-3.4-fold reduced for the continuous duplexes. In the case of tandem hybrid complexes, the effect of bleomycin on v0 was less pronounced. We hypothesized that steric factors play a key role in the bleomycin inhibition and effectors probably determine the substrate properties of such hybrid complexes. Of all the tandem systems studied, the RNA duplex with the bleomycin-containing tetranucleotide flanked with two effectors displayed the best substrate properties. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2002, vol. 28, no. 4; see also http://www.maik.ru.

Bleomycin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Role of the proline residues on the immunogenic properties of a P. falciparum circumsporozoite peptide linked to a carrier protein.

The circumsporozoite (CS) protein of P. falciparum contains an immunodominant epitope, NADP, that is repeated 37 times in the native molecule. The presence of proline in the coat proteins of the Plasmodium parasite at various developmental stages and strains is a frequent occurrence. In this study we evaluate the influence of substitution of proline residues by glycine on the immunogenic behavior of two tandemly repeated peptides linked via glutaraldehyde to a protein carrier: The (NANP)4 P. falciparum circumsporozoite peptide and its glycine-substitute analog, (NANG)4. The results obtained show that the (NANP)4 induces antibodies which recognize the peptide free in solution, bound on a solid phase, and linked to a carrier protein. It has been previously reported that such antibodies recognize the antigenic sites of the peptide in the native protein on the surface of the sporozoite. Antibodies raised against (NANG)4 in the same experimental conditions as (NANP)4, cannot recognize the peptide free in solution or bound to the solid phase. However, these antibodies can react with the peptide when it is linked to a protein carrier. The coupling of a glycine-containing analog to a carrier results in a significant shift in its conformation, allowing it to be recognized by the antibodies.

Animals↗