ePrints

Peptide nucleic acid delivery to human mitochondria

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Patrick Chinnery, Professor Robert Taylor, Emeritus Professor Doug Turnbull, Professor Robert Lightowlers

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are synthetic polynucleobase molecules, which bind to DNA and RNA with high affinity and specificity. Although PNAs have enormous potential as anti-sense agents, the success of PNA-mediated gene therapy will require efficient cellular uptake and sub-cellular trafficking. At present these mechanisms are poorly under. stood. To address this, we have studied the uptake of biotinylated PNAs into cultured cell lines using fluorescence confocal microscopy. In human myoblasts, initial punctate staining was followed by the release of PNAs into the cytosol and subsequent localisation and concentration in the nucleus. To determine whether PNAs could also be used as therapeutic agents for mtDNA disease, we attempted to localise PNAs to the mitrochondrial matrix. When attached to the presequence peptide of the nuclear-encoded human cytochrome c oxidase (COX) subunit VIII, the biotinylated PNA was successfully imported into isolated organelles in vitro. Furthermore, delivery of the biotinylated peptide-PNA to mitochondria in intact cells was confirmed by confocal microscopy. These studies demonstrate that biotinylated PNAs can be directed across cell membranes and to a specific sub-cellular compartment within human cells - highlighting the importance of these novel molecules for human gene therapy.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Chinnery PF, Taylor RW, Diekert K, Lill R, Turnbull DM, Lightowlers RN

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Gene Therapy

Year: 1999

Volume: 6

Issue: 12

Pages: 1919-1928

Print publication date: 01/12/1999

ISSN (print): 0969-7128

ISSN (electronic): 1476-5462

Publisher: Nature Publishing Group

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3301061

DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3301061

PubMed id: 10637443

Altmetrics

Share