Genetic and biochemical studies have provided convincing evidence that the 5' noncoding region (5' NCR) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly conserved among viral isolates worldwide and that translation of HCV is directed by an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) located within the 5' NCR. We have investigated inhibition of HCV gene expression using antisense oligonucleotides complementary to t...

Antisense oligonucleotides are used for therapeutic applications and in functional genomic studies. In practice, however, many of the oligonucleotides complementary to an mRNA have little or no antisense activity. Theoretical strategies to improve the 'hit rate' in antisense screens will reduce the cost of discovery and may lead to identification of antisense oligonucleotides with increased pot...

While many studies have examined the numerous physiological and pharmacological factors which can induce the expression of c-fos and other immediate-early genes, few have examined the consequences of altering their expression pattern. Using antisense oligonucleotides to c-fos, we demonstrate that amphetamine-induced c-fos expression c m be attenuated in vivo, in specific brain regions. This uni...

Antisense oligonucleotides efficiently inhibit gene expression in vitro; however, the successful therapeutic application of this technology in vivo will require the development of improved delivery systems. In this report we describe a technique that efficiently delivers antisense oligonucleotides into cells using molecular conjugates. This technique, which was initially developed for the deliv...

Abnormal elevation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in plasma as well as dysfunction of anti-atherogenic high-density lipoprotein (HDL) have both been recognized as essential components of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and are classified as dyslipidemia. This review describes the arc of development of antisense oligonucleotides for the treatment of dysli...

Banks, Mark F., Evgenia V. Gerasimovskaya, Doug A. Tucker, Maria G. Frid, Todd C. Carpenter, and Kurt R. Stenmark. Egr-1 antisense oligonucleotides inhibit hypoxia-induced proliferation of pulmonary artery adventitial fibroblasts. J Appl Physiol 98: 732–738, 2005. First published October 8, 2004; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol. 00821.2004.—In most mammalian species, chronic exposure to hypoxia leads ...

OBJECTIVE Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is resistant to both conventional chemotherapy and apoptosis. The bcl-2 family proteins are major determinants of apoptotic homeostasis. MPM lines and tumors routinely overexpress the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-XL. We have previously shown that antisense inhibition of BCL-XL in MPM cells leads to apoptosis. We sought to determine whether antisense ...

The potency and specificity of locked nucleic acid (LNA) antisense oligonucleotides was investigated as a function of length and affinity. The oligonucleotides were designed to target apolipoprotein B (apoB) and were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The high affinity of LNA enabled the design of short antisense oligonucleotides (12- to 13-mers) that possessed high affinity and increased ...

The duplex stability with target mRNA and the gene silencing potential of a novel bridged nucleic acid analogue are described. The analogue, 2',4'-BNA(NC) antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) ranging from 10- to 20-nt-long, targeted apolipoprotein B. 2',4'-BNA(NC) was directly compared to its conventional bridged (or locked) nucleic acid (2',4'-BNA/LNA)-based counterparts. Melting temperatures of ...

The contribution of the alpha-1B adrenergic receptor (AR) to vascular smooth muscle contraction has been assessed using a combination of immunological, molecular biological and pharmacological approaches. A subtype-selective antibody detected alpha-1B immunoreactivity in the medial layer of the aorta, caudal, femoral, iliac, mesenteric resistance, renal and superior mesenteric arteries. Recepto...