Development and Application of an Ultrasensitive Hybridization-Based ELISA Method for the Determination of Peptide-Conjugated Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligonucleotides

Nucleic Acid Ther. 2015 Oct;25(5):275-84. doi: 10.1089/nat.2014.0528. Epub 2015 Jul 15.

Abstract

Antisense oligonucleotide (AON)-induced exon skipping is one of the most promising strategies for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and other rare monogenic conditions. Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligonucleotides (PMOs) and 2'-O-methyl phosphorothioate (2'OMe) are two of the most advanced AONs in development. The next generation of peptide-conjugated PMO (P-PMO) is also showing great promise, but to advance these therapies it is essential to determine the pharmacokinetic and biodistribution (PK/BD) profile using a suitable method to detect AON levels in blood and tissue samples. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based method, which shows greater sensitivity than the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method, is the method of choice for 2'OMe detection in preclinical and clinical studies. However, no such assay has been developed for PMO/P-PMO detection, and we have, therefore, developed an ultrasensitive hybridization-based ELISA for this purpose. The assay has a linear detection range of 5-250 pM (R(2)>0.99) in mouse serum and tissue lysates. The sensitivity was sufficient for determining the 24-h PK/BD profile of PMO and P-PMO injected at standard doses (12.5 mg/kg) in mdx mice, the dystrophin-deficient mouse model for DMD. The assay demonstrated an accuracy approaching 100% with precision values under 12%. This provides a powerful cost-effective assay for the purpose of accelerating the development of these emerging therapeutic agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / administration & dosage
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / chemistry*
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / pharmacokinetics
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Limit of Detection
  • Mice, Inbred mdx
  • Morpholinos / administration & dosage
  • Morpholinos / chemistry*
  • Morpholinos / pharmacokinetics
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / administration & dosage
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / chemistry*
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / pharmacokinetics

Substances

  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides
  • Morpholinos
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense