1
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Del Bene A, D'Aniello A, Tomassi S, Merlino F, Mazzarella V, Russo R, Chambery A, Cosconati S, Di Maro S, Messere A. Ultrasound-assisted Peptide Nucleic Acids synthesis (US-PNAS). ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2023; 95:106360. [PMID: 36913782 PMCID: PMC10024050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we developed an innovative and easily accessible solid-phase synthetic protocol for Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) oligomers by systematically investigating the ultrasonication effects in all steps of the PNA synthesis (US-PNAS). When compared with standard protocols, the application of the so-obtained US-PNAS approach succeeded in improving the crude product purities and the isolated yields of different PNA, including small or medium-sized oligomers (5-mer and 9-mer), complex purine-rich sequences (like a 5-mer Guanine homoligomer and the telomeric sequence TEL-13) and longer oligomers (such as the 18-mer anti-IVS2-654 PNA and the 23-mer anti-mRNA 155 PNA). Noteworthy, our ultrasound-assisted strategy is compatible with the commercially available PNA monomers and well-established coupling reagents and only requires the use of an ultrasonic bath, which is a simple equipment generally available in most synthetic laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Del Bene
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Antonia D'Aniello
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Stefano Tomassi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Mazzarella
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Rosita Russo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Angela Chambery
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Sandro Cosconati
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Salvatore Di Maro
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy.
| | - Anna Messere
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Caserta, Italy.
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2
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Moriya SS, Funaki K, Demizu Y, Kurihara M, Kittaka A, Sugiyama T. Synthesis and properties of PNA containing a dicationic nucleobase based on N 4-benzoylated cytosine. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2023; 88:129287. [PMID: 37094725 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2023.129287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
We report the synthesis of a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) monomer containing N4-bis(aminomethyl)benzoylated cytosine (BzC2+ base). The BzC2+ monomer was incorporated into PNA oligomers using Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis. The BzC2+ base in PNA had two positive charges and exhibited greater affinity for DNA G base than the natural C base. The BzC2+ base stabilized PNA-DNA heteroduplexes through electrostatic attractions, even in high salt conditions. The two positive charges on the BzC2+ residue did not compromise the sequence specificity of PNA oligomers. These insights will aid the future design of cationic nucleobases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun-Suke Moriya
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan
| | - Kaoru Funaki
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan
| | - Yosuke Demizu
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health and Welfare, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan
| | - Masaaki Kurihara
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shonan University of Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-0806, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kittaka
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan
| | - Toru Sugiyama
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
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3
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Caratelli V, Moccia M, Paggioro FR, Fiore L, Avitabile C, Saviano M, Imbriani AL, Dardano P, De Stefano L, Moscone D, Colabufo NA, Ghafir El Idrissi I, Russo F, Riezzo G, Giannelli G, Arduini F. Liquid Biopsy beyond Cancer: A miRNA Detection in Serum with Electrochemical Chip for Non‐Invasive Coeliac Disease Diagnosis. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202200015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Caratelli
- Department of Chemical Science and Tecnologies University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Via della Ricerca Scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Maria Moccia
- Institute of Crystallography National Research Council (CNR) Via G. Amendola 122/O 70126 Bari Italy
| | - Francesca R. Paggioro
- Department of Chemical Science and Tecnologies University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Via della Ricerca Scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Luca Fiore
- Department of Chemical Science and Tecnologies University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Via della Ricerca Scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Concetta Avitabile
- Institute of Crystallography National Research Council (CNR) Via G. Amendola 122/O 70126 Bari Italy
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography National Research Council (CNR) Via G. Amendola 122/O 70126 Bari Italy
| | - Anna Lisa Imbriani
- Biochemical Systems International S.p.A. Loc, Palazzo del Pero, 23 52100 Arezzo Italy
| | - Principia Dardano
- Department of Physical Sciences and Matter Technology Institute for Applied Science and Intelligent Systems National Research Council Via Pietro Castellino 111 80131 Napoli Italy
| | - Luca De Stefano
- Department of Physical Sciences and Matter Technology Institute for Applied Science and Intelligent Systems National Research Council Via Pietro Castellino 111 80131 Napoli Italy
| | - Danila Moscone
- Department of Chemical Science and Tecnologies University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Via della Ricerca Scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Nicola A. Colabufo
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Science University of Bari Aldo Moro Via Orabona 4 70125 Bari Italy
- Biofordrug S.R.L Spin-off of the University of Bari Aldo Moro Via Dante 99, Triggiano 70019 Bari Italy
| | - Imane Ghafir El Idrissi
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Science University of Bari Aldo Moro Via Orabona 4 70125 Bari Italy
- Biofordrug S.R.L Spin-off of the University of Bari Aldo Moro Via Dante 99, Triggiano 70019 Bari Italy
| | - Francesco Russo
- National Institute of Gastroenterology “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital Castellana Grotte 70013 Bari Italy
| | - Giuseppe Riezzo
- National Institute of Gastroenterology “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital Castellana Grotte 70013 Bari Italy
| | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- National Institute of Gastroenterology “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital Castellana Grotte 70013 Bari Italy
| | - Fabiana Arduini
- Department of Chemical Science and Tecnologies University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Via della Ricerca Scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
- SENSE4MED S.R.L. Via della ricerca scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
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4
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Mosseri A, Sancho‐Albero M, Leone M, Nava D, Secundo F, Maggioni D, De Cola L, Romanelli A. Chiral Fibers Formation Upon Assembly of Tetraphenylalanine Peptide Conjugated to a PNA Dimer. Chemistry 2022; 28:e202200693. [PMID: 35474351 PMCID: PMC9325372 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202200693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Self‐assembly of biomolecules such as peptides, nucleic acids or their analogues affords supramolecular objects, exhibiting structures and physical properties dependent on the amino‐acid or nucleobase composition. Conjugation of the peptide diphenylalanine (FF) to peptide nucleic acids triggers formation of self‐assembled structures, mainly stabilized by interactions between FF. In this work we report formation of homogeneous chiral fibers upon self‐assembly of the hybrid composed of the tetraphenylalanine peptide (4F) conjugated to the PNA dimer adenine‐thymine (at). In this case nucleobases seem to play a key role in determining the morphology and chirality of the fibers. When the PNA “at” is replaced by guanine‐cytosine dimer “gc”, disordered structures are observed. Spectroscopic characterization of the self‐assembled hybrids, along with AFM and SEM studies is reported. Finally, a structural model consistent with the experimental evidence has also been obtained, showing how the building blocks of 4Fat arrange to give helical fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Mosseri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano via Venezian 21 20133 Milano Italy
| | - Maria Sancho‐Albero
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS 20156 Milano Italy
| | - Marilisa Leone
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini – CNR via Mezzocannone 16 80134 Naples Italy
| | - Donatella Nava
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano via Venezian 21 20133 Milano Italy
| | - Francesco Secundo
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta”, CNR via Mario Bianco 9 Milan 20131 Italy
| | - Daniela Maggioni
- Dipartimento di Chimica Università degli Studi di Milano Via Golgi 19 20133 Milano Italy
| | - Luisa De Cola
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano via Venezian 21 20133 Milano Italy
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS 20156 Milano Italy
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano via Venezian 21 20133 Milano Italy
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5
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Diaferia C, Avitabile C, Leone M, Gallo E, Saviano M, Accardo A, Romanelli A. Diphenylalanine Motif Drives Self-Assembling in Hybrid PNA-Peptide Conjugates. Chemistry 2021; 27:14307-14316. [PMID: 34314536 PMCID: PMC8597081 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202102481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Peptides and nucleic acids can self-assemble to give supramolecular structures that find application in different fields, ranging from the delivery of drugs to the obtainment of materials endowed with optical properties. Forces that stabilize the "suprastructures" typically are hydrogen bonds or aromatic interactions; in case of nucleic acids, Watson-Crick pairing drives self-assembly while, in case of peptides, backbone hydrogen bonds and interactions between aromatic side chains trigger the formation of structures, such as nanotubes or ribbons. Molecules containing both aromatic peptides and nucleic acids could in principle exploit different forces to self-assemble. In this work we meant to investigate the self-assembly of mixed systems, with the aim to understand which forces play a major role and determine formation/structure of aggregates. We therefore synthesized conjugates of the peptide FF to the peptide nucleic acid dimer "gc" and characterized their aggregates by different spectroscopic techniques, including NMR, CD and fluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Diaferia
- Department of PharmacyResearch Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB)University of Naples “Federico II”Via Mezzocannone 1680134NaplesItaly
| | | | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (CNR)Via Mezzocannone 1680134NaplesItaly
| | | | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography (CNR)Via Amendola 12270126BariItaly
| | - Antonella Accardo
- Department of PharmacyResearch Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB)University of Naples “Federico II”Via Mezzocannone 1680134NaplesItaly
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of MilanVia Venezian 2120133MilanItaly
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6
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Shaikh AY, Björkling F, Nielsen PE, Franzyk H. Optimized Synthesis of Fmoc/Boc‐Protected PNA Monomers and their Assembly into PNA Oligomers. European J Org Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.202100278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ashif Y. Shaikh
- Center for Peptide-based Antibiotics, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology Faculty of Heath and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen Jagtvej 162 2100 Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Fredrik Björkling
- Center for Peptide-based Antibiotics, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology Faculty of Heath and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen Jagtvej 162 2100 Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Peter E. Nielsen
- Center for Peptide-based Antibiotics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, The Panum Institute, Faculty of Heath and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen Blegdamsvej 3 2200 Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Henrik Franzyk
- Center for Peptide-based Antibiotics, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology Faculty of Heath and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen Jagtvej 162 2100 Copenhagen Denmark
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7
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Löffler PMG, Rabe A, Vogel S. Lipid-Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids: Synthesis and Application to Programmable Liposome Fusion. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2105:75-96. [PMID: 32088865 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0243-0_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) can be modified with aliphatic lipid chains and designed to be water soluble and able to spontaneously insert into phospholipid bilayers. Liposomes with 1.5% negatively charged POPG can be driven to fuse and mix their inner content volumes via functionalization with such lipidated peptide nucleic acids (LiPNAs). During fusion, only low amounts of leakage occur (<5%). We describe here the synthesis and purification of such LiPNAs using an automated peptide synthesizer and the preparation of LiPNA functionalized liposomes. Further, we describe the measurement of LiPNA-induced fusion using a fluorescence-based assay for the content mixing between a liposome population with an encapsulated self-quenching fluorescent dye (SRB) and a buffer-filled liposome population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp M G Löffler
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Alexander Rabe
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Stefan Vogel
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
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8
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Fmoc-Based Assembly of PNA Oligomers: Manual and Microwave-Assisted Automated Synthesis. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2105:1-16. [PMID: 32088861 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0243-0_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Exploration of PNA-peptide conjugates as potential antisense antibiotics necessitates a fast and efficient synthesis protocols for amounts that facilitate determination of structure-activity relationships and in vivo studies in animal infection models. Fmoc/Boc-protected PNA monomers are here used for assembly of oligomers by optimized protocols involving either a manual synthesis method at room temperature or automated microwave-assisted coupling of monomers on a peptide synthesizer.
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9
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Moccia M, Mercurio FA, Langella E, Piacenti V, Leone M, Adamo MFA, Saviano M. Structural Insights on Tiny Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Analogues of miRNA-34a: An in silico and Experimental Integrated Approach. Front Chem 2020; 8:568575. [PMID: 33330358 PMCID: PMC7719796 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.568575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present work, structural features of the interaction between peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-based analogs of the tumor-suppressor microRNA-34a with both its binding sites on MYCN mRNA were investigated. In particular, the region from base 1 to 8 ("seed" region) of miR-34a was reproduced in the form of an 8-mer PNA fragment (tiny PNA), and binding to target 3'UTR MYCN mRNA, was studied by a seldom reported and detailed NMR characterization, providing evidence for the formation of anti-parallel duplexes with a well-organized structural core. The formation of PNA-3'UTR duplexes was also confirmed by Circular Dichroism, and their melting curves were measured by UV spectroscopy. Nevertheless, this study offered a valuable comparison between molecular dynamics predictions and experimental evidence, which showed great correlation. Preliminary uptake assays were carried out in Neuroblastoma Kelly cells, using short peptide conjugates as carriers and FITC fluorescent tag for subcellular localization. Moderate internalization was observed without the use of transfecting agents. The reported results corroborate the interest toward the design and development of chimeric PNA/RNA sequences as effective RNA-targeting agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Moccia
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council, Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies, Bari, Italy
| | - Flavia Anna Mercurio
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Emma Langella
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Valerio Piacenti
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Mauro F. A. Adamo
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council, Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies, Bari, Italy
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10
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Moccia M, Caratelli V, Cinti S, Pede B, Avitabile C, Saviano M, Imbriani AL, Moscone D, Arduini F. Paper-based electrochemical peptide nucleic acid (PNA) biosensor for detection of miRNA-492: a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma biomarker. Biosens Bioelectron 2020; 165:112371. [PMID: 32729503 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the predominant neoplastic disease of the pancreas and it represents the fourth most frequent cause of death in cancer-related disease, with only 8% of survivors after 5-year to the diagnosis. The main issues of this type of cancer rely on fast progress (i.e. 14 months from T1 to a T4 stage), nonspecific symptoms with delay in diagnosis, and the absence of effective screening strategies. To address the lack of early diagnosis, we report a cost-effective paper-based biosensor for the detection of miRNA-492, which is recognised as a biomarker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. To design a miniaturised, sensitive, and robust paper-based platform, an electrochemical sensor was screen-printed on office paper previously wax-patterned via wax-printing technique. The paper-based sensor was then engineered with a novel and highly specific peptide nucleic acid (PNA) as the recognition element. The formation of PNA/miRNA-492 adduct was evaluated by monitoring the interaction between the positively charged ruthenium (III) hexamine with uncharged PNA and/or negatively charged PNA/miRNA-492 duplex by differential pulse voltammetry. The paper-based biosensor provided a linear range up to 100 nM, with a LOD of 6 nM. Excellent selectivity towards one- and two-base mismatches (1MM, 2MM) or scrambled (SCR) sequences was highlighted and the applicability for biomedical analyses was demonstrated, measuring miRNA-492 in undiluted serum samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Moccia
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council, Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technology, Via G. Amendola 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy.
| | - Veronica Caratelli
- Tor Vergata University, Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Cinti
- University of Naples "Federico II", Department of Pharmacy, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Biagio Pede
- Tor Vergata University, Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Concetta Avitabile
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council, Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technology, Via G. Amendola 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council, Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technology, Via G. Amendola 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Anna Lisa Imbriani
- Biochemical Systems International S.p.A. Loc, Palazzo del Pero, 23, 52100, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Danila Moscone
- Tor Vergata University, Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiana Arduini
- Tor Vergata University, Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, Via Della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy; SENSE4MED, Via Renato Rascel 30, 00133, Rome, Italy.
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11
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Avitabile C, Diaferia C, Roviello V, Altamura D, Giannini C, Vitagliano L, Accardo A, Romanelli A. Fluorescence and Morphology of Self-Assembled Nucleobases and Their Diphenylalanine Hybrid Aggregates. Chemistry 2019; 25:14850-14857. [PMID: 31566814 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201902709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Studies carried out in recent decades have revealed that the ability to self-assemble is a widespread property among biomolecules. Small nucleic acid moieties or very short peptides are able to generate intricate assemblies endowed with remarkable structural and spectroscopic properties. Herein, the structural/spectroscopic characterization of aggregates formed by nucleobases and peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-peptide conjugates are reported. At high concentration, all studied nucleobases form aggregates characterized by previously unreported fluorescence properties. The conjugation of these bases, as PNA derivatives, to the dipeptide Phe-Phe leads to the formation of novel hybrid assemblies, which are characterized by an amyloid-like association of the monomers. Although these compounds share the same basic cross-β motif, the nature and number of PNA units have an important impact on both the level of structural order and the intrinsic fluorescence of the self-assembled nanostructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Avitabile
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (CNR), via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Diaferia
- Department of Pharmacy, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Roviello
- Advanced Metrologic Service Center (CeSMA), University of Naples "Federico II", Corso N. Protopisani, 80146, Naples, Italy
| | - Davide Altamura
- Institute of Crystallography (CNR), via Amendola 122, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Cinzia Giannini
- Institute of Crystallography (CNR), via Amendola 122, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (CNR), via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Accardo
- Department of Pharmacy, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, via Venezian 21, 20133, Milan, Italy
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12
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Hansen AM, Bonke G, Hogendorf WFJ, Björkling F, Nielsen J, Kongstad KT, Zabicka D, Tomczak M, Urbas M, Nielsen PE, Franzyk H. Microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis of antisense acpP peptide nucleic acid-peptide conjugates active against colistin- and tigecycline-resistant E. coli and K. pneumoniae. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 168:134-145. [PMID: 30807888 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent discovery of potent antibacterial antisense PNA-peptide conjugates encouraged development of a fast and efficient synthesis protocol that facilitates structure-activity studies. The use of an Fmoc/Boc protection scheme for both PNA monomers and amino acid building blocks in combination with microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis proved to be a convenient procedure for continuous assembly of antisense PNA-peptide conjugates. A validated antisense PNA oligomer (CTCATACTCT; targeting mRNA of the acpP gene) was linked to N-terminally modified drosocin (i.e., RXR-PRPYSPRPTSHPRPIRV; X = aminohexanoic acid) or to a truncated Pip1 peptide (i.e., RXRRXR-IKILFQNRRMKWKK; X = aminohexanoic acid), and determination of the antibacterial effects of the resulting conjugates allowed assessment of the influence of different linkers as well as differences between the L- and D-forms of the peptides. The drosocin-derived compound without a linker moiety exhibited highest antibacterial activity against both wild-type Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae (MICs in the range 2-4 μg/mL ∼ 0.3-0.7 μM), while analogues displaying an ethylene glycol (eg1) moiety or a polar maleimide linker also possessed activity toward wild-type K. pneumoniae (MICs of 4-8 μg/mL ∼ 0.6-1.3 μM). Against two colistin-resistant E. coli strains the linker-deficient compound proved most potent (with MICs in the range 2-4 μg/mL ∼ 0.3-0.7 μM). The truncated all-L Pip1 peptide had moderate inherent activity against E. coli, and this was unaltered or reduced upon conjugation to the antisense PNA oligomer. By contrast, this peptide was 8-fold less potent against K. pneumoniae, but in this case some PNA-peptide conjugates exhibited potent antisense activity (MICs of 2-8 μg/mL ∼ 0.3-1.2 μM). Most interestingly, the antibacterial activity of the D-form peptide itself was 2- to 16-fold higher than that of the L-form, even for the colistin- and tigecycline-resistant E. coli strains (MIC of 1-2 μg/mL ∼ 0.25-0.5 μM). Low activity was found for conjugates with a two-mismatch PNA sequence corroborating an antisense mode of action. Conjugates containing a D-form peptide were also significantly less active. In conclusion, we have designed and synthesized antisense PNA-drosocin conjugates with potent antibacterial activity against colistin- and tigecycline-resistant E. coli and K. pneumonia without concomitant hemolytic properties. In addition, a truncated D-form of Pip1 was identified as a peptide exhibiting potent activity against both wild-type and multidrug-resistant E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii (MICs within the range 1-4 μg/mL ∼ 0.25-1 μM) as well as toward wild-type Staphylococcus aureus (MIC of 2-4 μg/mL ∼ 0.5-1.0 μM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mette Hansen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Gitte Bonke
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Wouter Frederik Johan Hogendorf
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Fredrik Björkling
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - John Nielsen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Kenneth T Kongstad
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Dorota Zabicka
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Tomczak
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Urbas
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Peter E Nielsen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Henrik Franzyk
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Denmark.
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13
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Avitabile C, Diaferia C, Della Ventura B, Mercurio FA, Leone M, Roviello V, Saviano M, Velotta R, Morelli G, Accardo A, Romanelli A. Self-Assembling of Fmoc-GC Peptide Nucleic Acid Dimers into Highly Fluorescent Aggregates. Chemistry 2018; 24:4729-4735. [PMID: 29377290 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201800279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The study of molecules that self-assemble through noncovalent interactions is one of the most attractive topics in supramolecular chemistry. The use of short peptides or modified nucleotides as building blocks for the aggregates is particularly intriguing because these are very easy to synthesize; moreover, subtle changes in the chemical structure of such building blocks may drastically affect the properties of the aggregates. The ability of peptide nucleic acids (PNA) to aggregate has been very little explored, despite its practical applications. In this work we investigated the self-assembling properties of a PNA dimer, conjugated at the N-terminus to a fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl group. This PNA dimer forms nano-aggregates at low concentration in CHCl3 /CH3 OH mixtures. The aggregates retain very interesting fluorescent properties (high quantum yield in the visible region with lifetimes on the nanosecond scale), which make them promising materials for applications in optoelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Avitabile
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Diaferia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Flavia Anna Mercurio
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Roviello
- Analytical Chemistry for the Environment and CeSMA (Centro Servizi Metrologici Avanzati), University of Naples "Federico II", via N. Protopisani, 80146, Naples, Italy
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council, Via Amendola 126/O, Bari, Italy
| | - Raffaele Velotta
- Department of Physics, University of Naples "Federico II", via Cintia, Naples, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Morelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Accardo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy.,University of Milan, via Venezian 21, 20133, Milan, Italy
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14
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Long non-coding RNA containing ultraconserved genomic region 8 promotes bladder cancer tumorigenesis. Oncotarget 2018; 7:20636-54. [PMID: 26943042 PMCID: PMC4991481 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultraconserved regions (UCRs) have been shown to originate non-coding RNA transcripts (T-UCRs) that have different expression profiles and play functional roles in the pathophysiology of multiple cancers. The relevance of these functions to the pathogenesis of bladder cancer (BlCa) is speculative. To elucidate this relevance, we first used genome-wide profiling to evaluate the expression of T-UCRs in BlCa tissues. Analysis of two datasets comprising normal bladder tissues and BlCa specimens with a custom T-UCR microarray identified ultraconserved RNA (uc.) 8+ as the most upregulated T-UCR in BlCa tissues, although its expression was lower than in pericancerous bladder tissues. These results were confirmed on BlCa tissues by real-time PCR and by in situ hybridization. Although uc.8+ is located within intron 1 of CASZ1, a zinc-finger transcription factor, the transcribed non-coding RNA encoding uc.8+ is expressed independently of CASZ1. In vitro experiments evaluating the effects of uc.8+ silencing, showed significantly decreased capacities for cancer cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. From this, we proposed and validated a model of interaction in which uc.8+ shuttles from the nucleus to the cytoplasm of BlCa cells, interacts with microRNA (miR)-596, and cooperates in the promotion and development of BlCa. Using computational analysis, we investigated the miR-binding domain accessibility, as determined by base-pairing interactions within the uc.8+ predicted secondary structure, RNA binding affinity, and RNA species abundance in bladder tissues and showed that uc.8+ is a natural decoy for miR-596. Thus uc.8+ upregulation results in increased expression of MMP9, increasing the invasive potential of BlCa cells. These interactions between evolutionarily conserved regions of DNA suggest that natural selection has preserved this potentially regulatory layer that uses RNA to modulate miR levels, opening up the possibility for development of useful markers for early diagnosis and prognosis as well as for development of new RNA-based cancer therapies.
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15
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Piras L, Avitabile C, D'Andrea LD, Saviano M, Romanelli A. Detection of oligonucleotides by PNA-peptide conjugates recognizing the biarsenical fluorescein complex FlAsH-EDT 2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 493:126-131. [PMID: 28919425 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.09.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
We report the application of the arsenical complex FlAsH-EDT2 for the identification of oligonucleotide sequences. We designed PNA sequences conjugated to either a tetracysteine motif and to split tetracysteine sequences, that are recognized by FlAsH. The effect of conjugation of the PNA to the tetracysteine peptide and RNA hybridization on the fluorescence of the arsenical complex has been investigated. The reconstitution of the tetracysteine motif, starting from 15-mer PNAs conjugated to split tetracysteine sequences and hybridized to a complementary oligonucleotide was also explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Piras
- Institute of Crystallography (IC), CNR, Via Amendola 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Concetta Avitabile
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luca Domenico D'Andrea
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Napoli, Italy
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography (IC), CNR, Via Amendola 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Napoli, Italy.
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16
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Chu TW, Feng J, Yang J, Kopeček J. Hybrid polymeric hydrogels via peptide nucleic acid (PNA)/DNA complexation. J Control Release 2015; 220:608-16. [PMID: 26394062 PMCID: PMC4688099 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2015.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This work presents a new concept in hybrid hydrogel design. Synthetic water-soluble N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) polymers grafted with multiple peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are crosslinked upon addition of the linker DNA. The self-assembly is mediated by the PNA-DNA complexation, which results in the formation of hydrophilic polymer networks. We show that the hydrogels can be produced through two different types of complexations. Type I hydrogel is formed via the PNA/DNA double-helix hybridization. Type II hydrogel utilizes a unique "P-form" oligonucleotide triple-helix that comprises two PNA sequences and one DNA. Microrheology studies confirm the respective gelation processes and disclose a higher critical gelation concentration for the type I gel when compared to the type II design. Scanning electron microscopy reveals the interconnected microporous structure of both types of hydrogels. Type I double-helix hydrogel exhibits larger pore sizes than type II triple-helix gel. The latter apparently contains denser structure and displays greater elasticity as well. The designed hybrid hydrogels have potential as novel biomaterials for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Te-Wei Chu
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jiayue Feng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jiyuan Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jindřich Kopeček
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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17
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Avitabile C, Fabbri E, Bianchi N, Gambari R, Romanelli A. Inhibition of miRNA maturation by peptide nucleic acids. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1095:157-64. [PMID: 24166311 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-703-7_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Molecules able to interfere in miRNA genesis and function are potent tools to unravel maturation and processing pathways. Antisense oligonucleotides or analogs are actually employed for the inhibition of miRNA function. Here we illustrate how Peptide Nucleic Acids oligomers targeting pre-miRNA are exploited to inhibit miRNA maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Avitabile
- Dipartimento delle Scienze Biologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Napoli, Italy
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18
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Sharma H, Agarwal M, Goswami M, Sharma A, Roy SK, Rai R, Murugan M. Biosensors: tool for food borne pathogen detection. Vet World 2013. [DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2013.968-973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
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19
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Avitabile C, Moggio L, Malgieri G, Capasso D, Di Gaetano S, Saviano M, Pedone C, Romanelli A. γ Sulphate PNA (PNA S): highly selective DNA binding molecule showing promising antigene activity. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35774. [PMID: 22586450 PMCID: PMC3346730 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2011] [Accepted: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs), nucleic acid analogues showing high stability to enzyme degradation and strong affinity and specificity of binding toward DNA and RNA are widely investigated as tools to interfere in gene expression. Several studies have been focused on PNA analogues with modifications on the backbone and bases in the attempt to overcome solubility, uptake and aggregation issues. γ PNAs, PNA derivatives having a substituent in the γ position of the backbone show interesting properties in terms of secondary structure and affinity of binding toward complementary nucleic acids. In this paper we illustrate our results obtained on new analogues, bearing a sulphate in the γ position of the backbone, developed to be more DNA-like in terms of polarity and charge. The synthesis of monomers and oligomers is described. NMR studies on the conformational properties of monomers and studies on the secondary structure of single strands and triplexes are reported. Furthermore the hybrid stability and the effect of mismatches on the stability have also been investigated. Finally, the ability of the new analogue to work as antigene, interfering with the transcription of the ErbB2 gene on a human cell line overexpressing ErbB2 (SKBR3), assessed by FACS and qPCR, is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Avitabile
- Dipartimento delle Scienze Biologiche, Facoltà di Scienze Biotecnologiche, Università di Napoli “Federico II”, Napoli, Italy
| | - Loredana Moggio
- Dipartimento delle Scienze Biologiche, Facoltà di Scienze Biotecnologiche, Università di Napoli “Federico II”, Napoli, Italy
| | - Gaetano Malgieri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Domenica Capasso
- Dipartimento delle Scienze Biologiche, Facoltà di Scienze Biotecnologiche, Università di Napoli “Federico II”, Napoli, Italy
| | | | | | - Carlo Pedone
- Dipartimento delle Scienze Biologiche, Facoltà di Scienze Biotecnologiche, Università di Napoli “Federico II”, Napoli, Italy
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini (CNR), Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Dipartimento delle Scienze Biologiche, Facoltà di Scienze Biotecnologiche, Università di Napoli “Federico II”, Napoli, Italy
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini (CNR), Napoli, Italy
- * E-mail:
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20
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Avitabile C, Saviano M, D'Andrea L, Bianchi N, Fabbri E, Brognara E, Gambari R, Romanelli A. Targeting pre-miRNA by peptide nucleic acids: a new strategy to interfere in the miRNA maturation. ARTIFICIAL DNA, PNA & XNA 2012; 3:88-96. [PMID: 22699795 PMCID: PMC3429535 DOI: 10.4161/adna.20911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
PNAs conjugated to carrier peptides have been employed for the targeting of miRNA precursor, with the aim to develop molecules able to interfere in the pre-miRNA processing. The capability of the molecules to bind pre-miRNA has been tested in vitro by fluorescence assayes on Thiazole Orange labeled molecules and in vivo, in K562 cells, evaluating the amount of miRNA produced after treatment of cells with two amounts of PNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Avitabile
- Dipartimento delle Scienze Biologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Napoli, Italy
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21
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Loakes D. Nucleotides and nucleic acids; oligo- and polynucleotides. ORGANOPHOSPHORUS CHEMISTRY 2012. [DOI: 10.1039/9781849734875-00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David Loakes
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road Cambridge CB2 2QH UK
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22
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Joshi R, Jha D, Su W, Engelmann J. Facile synthesis of peptide nucleic acids and peptide nucleic acid-peptide conjugates on an automated peptide synthesizer. J Pept Sci 2011; 17:8-13. [PMID: 20979047 DOI: 10.1002/psc.1305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are DNA mimics with a neutral peptide backbone instead of the negatively charged sugar phosphates. PNAs exhibit several attractive features such as high chemical and thermal stability, resistance to enzymatic degradation, and stable binding to their RNA or DNA targets in a sequence-specific manner. Therefore, they are widely used in molecular diagnosis of antisense-targeted therapeutic drugs or probes and in pharmaceutical applications. However, the main hindrance to the effective use of PNAs is their poor uptake by cells as well as the difficult and laborious chemical synthesis. In order to achieve an efficient delivery of PNAs into cells, there are already many published reports of peptides being used for transport across the cell membrane. In this protocol, we describe the automated as well as cost-effective semi-automated synthesis of PNAs and PNA-peptide constructs on an automated peptide synthesizer. The facile synthesis of PNAs will be helpful in generating PNA libraries usable, e.g. for high-throughput screening in biomolecular studies. Efficient synthetic schemes, the automated procedure, the reduced consumption of costly reagents, and the high purity of the products are attractive features of the reported procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra Joshi
- High-Field Magnetic Resonance Center, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Spemannstrasse 41, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
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