Synthesis and properties of RNA constrained by a 2'-O-disulfide bridge.

We recently reported the properties of RNA hairpins constrained by a dimethylene (DME) disulfide (S-S) linker incorporated between two adjacent nucleosides in the loop and showed that this linker locked the hairpin conformation thus disturbing the duplex/hairpin equilibrium. We have now investigated the influence of the length of the linker and synthesized oligoribonucleotides containing diethylene (DEE) and dipropylene (DPE) S-S bridges. This was achieved via the preparation of building blocks, namely 2'-O-acetylthioethyl (2'-O-AcSE) and 2'-O-acetylthiopropyl (2'-O-AcSP) uridine phosphoramidites, which were successfully incorporated into RNA sequences. Thermal denaturation analysis revealed that the DEE and DPE disulfide bridges destabilize RNA duplexes but do not disrupt the hairpin conformation. Furthermore, our investigation of the duplex/hairpin equilibrium indicated that sequences modified with DME and DEE S-S linkers predominantly lock the hairpin form, whereas the DPE S-S linker provides flexibility. These findings highlight the potential of S-S linkers to study RNA interactions.

Conjugation of Doxorubicin to siRNA Through Disulfide-based Self-immolative Linkers.

Co-delivery systems of siRNA and chemotherapeutic drugs have been developed as an attractive strategy to optimize the efficacy of chemotherapy towards cancer cells with multidrug resistance. In these typical systems, siRNAs are usually associated to drugs within a carrier but without covalent interactions with the risk of a premature release and degradation of the drugs inside the cells. To address this issue, we propose a covalent approach to co-deliver a siRNA-drug conjugate with a redox-responsive self-immolative linker prone to intracellular glutathione-mediated disulfide cleavage. Herein, we report the use of two disulfide bonds connected by a pentane spacer or a p-xylene spacer as self-immolative linker between the primary amine of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) and the 2'-position of one or two ribonucleotides in RNA. Five Dox-RNA conjugates were successfully synthesized using two successive thiol-disulfide exchange reactions. The Dox-RNA conjugates were annealed with their complementary strands and the duplexes were shown to form an A-helix sufficiently stable under physiological conditions. The enzymatic stability of Dox-siRNAs in human serum was enhanced compared to the unmodified siRNA, especially when two Dox are attached to siRNA. The release of native Dox and RNA from the bioconjugate was demonstrated under reducing conditions suggesting efficient linker disintegration. These results demonstrate the feasibility of making siRNA-drug conjugates via disulfide-based self-immolative linkers for potential therapeutic applications.

Difluorophosphonylated Allylic Ether Moiety as a 2'-Modification of RNA-Type Molecules: Synthesis, Thermal, and Metabolic Studies.

The first synthesis of oligonucleotides incorporating URF, a uridine modified with a difluorophosphonylated allylic ether onto the 2'-position, is described. Fluorinated homouridylates and miR-342-3p analogues are efficiently prepared. UV-melting experiments and enzymatic degradation studies indicate this new series of fluorinated oligonucleotides exhibit good and thermal metabolic stability as well as an increased lipophilicity. Comparison with oligonucleotides containing 2'- O-allyluridine instead of URF reveals improvement of these chemical properties is related to the presence of the difluoromethylphosphonate group.

Gymnotic delivery and gene silencing activity of reduction-responsive siRNAs bearing lipophilic disulfide-containing modifications at 2'-position.

Modified oligoribonucleotides used as siRNAs bearing biolabile disulfide-containing groups at some 2'-positions were synthesized following a post-synthesis transformation of solid-supported 2'-O-acetylthiomethyl RNA, previously described. Thus, the reduction-responsive and lipophilic benzyldithiomethyl (BnSSM) modification was introduced at different locations into siRNAs targeting the Ewing sarcoma EWS-Fli1 protein. Thermal stability, serum stability and response to glutathione treatment of modified siRNAs were thoroughly investigated. Among 17 modified siRNAs, significant gene silencing activities were demonstrated for the 8 most stable siRNAs in serum (half-life > 1 h) when using a transfection reagent. Of special interest, two naked 2'-O-BnSSM siRNAs transfection exhibited a remarkable gene silencing activity after 24 h incubation. These inhibitions are consistent with an efficient gymnotic delivery demonstrated by the presence of the corresponding fluorescent siRNAs within cells.

A 2',2'-disulfide-bridged dinucleotide conformationally locks RNA hairpins.

The synthesis and the impact of a disulfide bridge between 2'-O-positions of two adjacent nucleotides in an RNA duplex and in the loop of RNA hairpins are reported. The incorporation of this 2',2'-disulfide (S-S) bridge enabled thermal and enzymatic stabilization of the hairpin depending on its position in the loop. The influence of the disulfide bridge on RNA folding was studied at the HIV Dimerization Initiation Site (DIS) as an RNA sequence model. We have shown that this S-S bridge locked the hairpin form, whereas the extended duplex form was generated after the reduction of the disulfide bond in the presence of tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine or glutathione. Thus, the S-S bridge can be useful for understanding RNA folding; an RNA molecular beacon locked by an S-S bridge was also investigated as a sensor for the detection of glutathione.

Stimuli-responsive oligonucleotides in prodrug-based approaches for gene silencing.

Oligonucleotides (ONs) have been envisaged for therapeutic applications for more than thirty years. However, their broad use requires overcoming several hurdles such as instability in biological fluids, low cell penetration, limited tissue distribution, and off-target effects. With this aim, many chemical modifications have been introduced into ONs definitively as a means of modifying and better improving their properties as gene silencing agents and some of them have been successful. Moreover, in the search for an alternative way to make efficient ON-based drugs, the general concept of prodrugs was applied to the oligonucleotide field. A prodrug is defined as a compound that undergoes transformations in vivo to yield the parent active drug under different stimuli. The interest in stimuli-responsive ONs for gene silencing functions has been notable in recent years. The ON prodrug strategies usually help to overcome limitations of natural ONs due to their low metabolic stability and poor delivery. Nevertheless, compared to permanent ON modifications, transient modifications in prodrugs offer the opportunity to regulate ON activity as a function of stimuli acting as switches. Generally, the ON prodrug is not active until it is triggered to release an unmodified ON. However, as it will be described in some examples, the opposite effect can be sought. This review examines ON modifications in response to various stimuli. These stimuli may be internal or external to the cell, chemical (glutathione), biochemical (enzymes), or physical (heat, light). For each stimulus, the discussion has been separated into sections corresponding to the site of the modification in the nucleotide: the internucleosidic phosphate, the nucleobase, the sugar or the extremities of ONs. Moreover, the review provides a current and detailed account of stimuli-responsive ONs with the main goal of gene silencing. However, for some stimuli-responsive ONs reported in this review, no application for controlling gene expression has been shown, but a certain potential in this field could be demonstrated. Additionally, other applications in different domains have been mentioned to extend the interest in such molecules.

Lipophilic 2'-O-Acetal Ester RNAs: Synthesis, Thermal Duplex Stability, Nuclease Resistance, Cellular Uptake, and siRNA Activity after Spontaneous Naked Delivery.

The in vivo application of siRNA depends on its cellular uptake and intracellular release, and this is an unsatisfactorily resolved technical hurdle in medicinal applications. Promising concepts directed towards providing efficient cellular and intracellular delivery include lipophilic chemical modification of siRNA. Here we describe chemistry for the production of modified siRNAs designed to display improved transmembrane transport into human cells while preserving the potency of the RNAi-based inhibitors. We report the synthesis and the biochemical and biophysical characteristics of 2'-O-phenylisobutyryloxymethyl (PiBuOM)-modified siRNAs and their impact on biological activity. In the case of spontaneous cellular uptake of naked PiBuOM-modified siRNA, we observed increased target suppression in human cells relative to unmodified or pivaloyloxymethyl (PivOM)-modified siRNA. We provide evidence of improved spontaneous cellular uptake of naked PiBuOM-modified siRNA and of substantial target suppression in human cells in serum-containing medium.

A versatile post-synthetic method on a solid support for the synthesis of RNA containing reduction-responsive modifications.

An original post-synthetic method on a solid support was developed to introduce various disulfide bond containing groups at the 2'-OH of oligoribonucleotides (RNAs). It is based on a thiol disulfide exchange reaction between several readily accessible alkyldisulfanyl-pyridine derivatives and 2'-O-acetylthiomethyl RNA in the presence of butylamine. By this strategy, diverse 2'-O-alkyldithiomethyl RNAs were obtained. These modifications provided high nuclease resistance to RNA and were easily removed with glutathione treatment, thus featuring a potential use for siRNA prodrugs.

Synthesis, binding, nuclease resistance and cellular uptake properties of 2'-O-acetalester-modified oligonucleotides containing cationic groups.

We report on the synthesis and properties of oligonucleotides (ONs) with 2'-O-acetalester modifications containing cationic side chains in a prodrug-like approach. In the aim to improve cell penetration and nuclease resistance, various different amino- or guanidino-acetalester were grafted to 2'-OH of uridine and the corresponding phosphoramidites were incorporated into ONs. Introduction of 2'-O-(2-aminomethyl-2-ethyl)butyryloxymethyl (AMEBuOM) modification into 2'-OMe ONs leads to high resistance towards enzymatic degradation and to destabilization of duplexes with complementary RNA strand. Spontaneous uptake experiments of a twelve-mer containing ten 2'-O-AMEBuOM-U units into A673 cells showed moderate internalization of ON within the cells whereas substantial internalization of the corresponding lipophilic 2'-O-pivaloyloxymethyl ON was observed for the first time.

Direct synthesis of partially modified 2'-O-pivaloyloxymethyl RNAs by a base-labile protecting group strategy and their potential for prodrug-based gene-silencing applications.

An original and straightforward synthesis of partially modified 2'-O-pivaloyloxymethyl-substituted (PivOM-substituted) oligoribonucleotides has been achieved. The aim of this 2'-enzymolabile modification was to enhance nuclease stability of RNA and transmembrane transport. To make these modified RNAs easily available we developed a base-labile protecting group strategy with standard protections for nucleobases (acyl) and phosphates (cyanoethyl), a Q-linker and two different acetalester protection groups for 2'-OH: propionyloxymethyl (PrOM) and PivOM. Interestingly, orthogonal deprotection conditions based on anhydrous butylamine in THF were found to remove propionyloxymethyl groups selectively, while preserving PivOM groups. Duplex stability, circular dichroism studies and nuclease resistance, as well as the ability to inhibit gene expression of modified 2'-O-PivOM RNA, were evaluated.

Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of pro-RNA 2'-O-masked with biolabile pivaloyloxymethyl groups in an RNA interference assay.

The cellular delivery of bioactive nucleic acid-based drugs such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) represents a major technical hurdle for their pharmaceutical application. Prodrug-like approaches provide an attractive concept to address the delivery problem. With the aim to prepare RNA-based prodrugs bearing biolabile protections which facilitate cellular uptake and are prone to be removed enzymatically inside cells in order to release functional RNA, we synthesized pro-RNA totally or partially masked in 2'-OH position with pivaloyloxymethyl (PivOM) groups. A suitable strategy has been developed to synthesize and to purify base-sensitive mixed 2'-OH/2'-O-PivOM oligoribonucleotides, and to include them in siRNA. In this strategy, the fluoride labile [(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]-benzyloxycarbonyl group (tboc) as nucleobase protection (for A and C), the TBS group as 2'-OH protection and the Q-linker to solid-support were compatible with the PivOM groups masking some 2'-OH. We have taken advantage of the specific stability of the PivOM group to apply selected acidic, basic, and fluoride ions treatment for the deprotection and release of pro-RNA. This kind of pro-siRNA was studied in a human cell culture-based RNAi assay and preliminary promising data are discussed.

Chemical synthesis of RNA with base-labile 2'-o-(pivaloyloxymethyl)-protected ribonucleoside phosphoramidites.

The efficiency of chemical RNA synthesis has been radically improved by the use of pivaloyloxymethyl (PivOM) groups as 2'-protection, containing an acetal spacer that minimizes the steric effect of the ester group on the neighboring amidite during the coupling. However, the major benefit of the base-labile PivOM groups is their simple removal upon standard basic conditions applied to deprotect the RNA and release it from solid supports. Combined with standard acyl groups for nucleobases, cyanoethyl groups for phosphates, and base-cleavable linkers, PivOM groups make RNA deprotection as simple as DNA deprotection. Thus, no additional deprotection step with tedious desalting workup procedures is required, and RNA synthesis becomes as convenient and efficient as DNA synthesis.

Probing the active site of the deoxynucleotide N-hydrolase Rcl encoded by the rat gene c6orf108.

Rcl is a potential anti-angiogenic therapeutic target that hydrolyzes the N-glycosidic bond of 2'-deoxyribonucleoside 5'-monophosphate, yielding 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate and the corresponding base. Its recently elucidated solution structure provided the first insight into the molecular basis for the substrate recognition. To facilitate the development of potent and specific inhibitors of Rcl, the active site was probed by site-directed mutagenesis and by the use of substrate analogs. The nucleobase shows weak interactions with the protein, and the deoxyribose binding pocket includes the catalytic triad Tyr-13, Asp-69, and Glu-93 and the phosphate binding site Ser-87 and Ser-117. The phosphomimetic mutation of Ser-17 to Glu prevents substrate binding and, thus, abolishes the activity of Rcl. The synthetic ligand-based analysis of the Rcl binding site shows that substitutions at positions 2 and 6 of the nucleobase as well as large heterocycles are well tolerated. The phosphate group at position 5 of the (deoxy)ribose moiety is the critical binding determinant. This study provides the roadmap for the design of small molecules inhibitors with pharmacological properties.

Alpha,beta-D-CNA preorganization of unpaired loop moiety stabilizes DNA hairpin.

DNA hairpin structures can be stabilized by introduction of constraint on the sugar phosphate backbone within the unpaired loop moiety by means of dinucleotides locked with an alpha torsion angle in gauche(+) configuration.

Synthesis of conformationally locked Carba-LNAs through intramolecular free-radical addition to C=N. Electrostatic and steric implication of the carba-LNA substituents in the modified oligos for nuclease and thermodynamic stabilities.

The syntheses of the hitherto unavailable parent fully unsubstituted carba-LNA and its C7'-amino and/or C6'-hydroxyl substituted derivatives, have been accomplished by the intramolecular 5-exo free-radical addition to a C4'-tethered C=N to give carba-LNAs with variable hydrophilic substituents at C6'/C7' (amino and/or hydroxyl). They have been introduced into isosequential antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) to examine how their relative electrostatic and steric effects in the minor groove of a putative AON-RNA duplex affect the target affinity, nuclease resistance, and RNase H elicitation. We show that 2'-oxygen in LNA is important in stabilizing the DNA/DNA and DNA/RNA duplexes vis-a-vis the unsubstituted carba-LNA and its other derivatives and that hydrophobic groups at C6'/C7' in both carba-LNA and carba-ENA relatively destabilize the AON/DNA duplex more profoundly than those in the AON/RNA duplexes. Two main factors affect the relative stabilities of AON/DNA versus AON/RNA duplexes: (i) hydration in the minor groove depending upon hydrophilicity vis-a-vis hydrophobicity of the substituents, and (ii) the relative size of the minor groove in the AON/DNA versus AON/RNA duplexes dictates the steric clash with the substituents depending upon their relative chiralities. We also show how the chirality and chemical nature of the C6'/C7' substituents affect the nuclease stability as well as the thermal stability and the RNase recruitment by AON/RNA duplexes.

Synthesis and luminescence properties of a trinucleotide-europium(III) complex conjugate.

Two trinucleotide conjugates of the macrocyclic ligand 1,4,7-tris(carbamoylmethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane are prepared. One contains only DNA (1) and the second is a chimeric RNA/DNA conjugate (2). The synthetic methodology used to prepare the trinucleotide macrocyclic ligand conjugates is based on the introduction of a convertible nucleoside which has an electrophilic function to facilitate the attachment of any nucleophilic ligand to the 5-position of the 3-nucleoside unit. The convertible nucleoside is first treated with the macrocyclic ligand, 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane, followed by alkylation of the three remaining amine groups to give a conjugated macrocyclic ligand with three pendent amide groups. Addition of an equivalent of EuCl3 to trinucleotide (1) or (2) yields the complexes Eu(1) and Eu(2), respectively. Studies using time-resolved and steady state direct excitation luminescence spectroscopy show that Eu(III) binds to the macrocyclic moiety in 1 and in 2. The excitation peak frequency for the 7Fo5Do transition and the unexpectedly low number of water ligands in Eu(1) and Eu(2) are consistent with additional interactions of the Eu(III) macrocycle with one of the phosphate diester groups. Studies show that Eu(2) undergoes cleavage at the uridine nucleotide. The unique point of attachment of the macrocyclic complex will enable the preparation of new lanthanide nucleic acid conjugates with useful properties.

Alpha,beta-D-CNA induced rigidity within oligonucleotides.

Introduction of alpha,beta-D-CNA featuring canonical values of the torsional angles alpha and beta within oligonucleotides leads to an overall stabilization and improved rigidity of the duplex DNA as demonstrated by UV experiments, circular dichroism and corroborated by molecular dynamics simulations.