Synthesis of peptide nucleic acids (PNA) with a crosslinking agent to RNA and effective inhibition of dicer

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2016 Dec 15;26(24):5902-5906. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2016.11.002. Epub 2016 Nov 9.

Abstract

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are structural mimics of nucleic acids that form stable hybrids with DNA and RNA. Due to these characteristics, PNAs are widely used as biochemical tools, for example, in antisense/antigene therapy. In this study, we have synthesized PNAs incorporating 2-amino-6-vinylpurine (AVP) for the covalent targeting of single-stranded DNA and RNA, and evaluated their reactivities for these targets. PNA containing AVP at the N-terminal position showed a high reactivity to uracil in RNA and thymine in DNA at the complementary site with AVP. In addition, the crosslinking reactions to pre-miR122 with PNA containing AVP increased the inhibition effect for the Dicer processing of pre-miR122 in vitro.

Keywords: Crosslink; Dicer; Invasion; Peptide nucleic acid; miRNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Linking Reagents / chemistry
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / pharmacology*
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Molecular Structure
  • Peptide Nucleic Acids / chemical synthesis
  • Peptide Nucleic Acids / chemistry
  • Peptide Nucleic Acids / pharmacology*
  • RNA / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • DNA, Single-Stranded
  • Peptide Nucleic Acids
  • RNA