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Antisense oligonucleotides (ODNs) overlapping the stem-loop structure of the trans-activating responsive (TAR) element at the 5' end of HIV-1 and HIV-2 viral RNAs were tested for their inhibitory effect on cDNA synthesis by HIV-1 and HIV-2 reverse transcriptases (RT). Inhibition of reverse transcription is sequence-specific and enhanced by the presence of the RT-associated RNase H activity. The degree of inhibition obtained with the anti-TAR antisense is significantly higher than with other HIV-1 targeted antisense ODNs used before [1]. Gel retardation showed a stable specific complex between the 16- and 25-mer anti-TAR HIV-1 selected ODNs and the target region. No complex was observed with a non-inhibitor 22-mer anti-TAR ODN and with the corresponding control sequences. Targeting of the first stem-loop in the 5' region of HIV-2 RNA by anti-TAR ODNs inhibited very strongly reverse transcription by HIV-2 RT. The structure of the antisense and the target sequence affect annealing efficiency and hence the degree of inhibition of reverse transcription.

We have investigated two regions of the viral RNA of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) as potential targets for antisense oligonucleotides. An oligodeoxynucleotide targeted to the U5 region of the viral genome was shown to block the elongation of cDNA synthesized by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase in vitro. This arrest of reverse transcription was independent of the presence of RNase H activity associated with the reverse transcriptase enzyme. A second oligodeoxynucleotide targeted to a site adjacent to the primer binding site inhibited reverse transcription in an RNase H-dependent manner. These two oligonucleotides were covalently linked to a poly(L-lysine) carrier and tested for their ability to inhibit HIV-1 infection in cell cultures. Both oligonucleotides inhibited virus production in a sequence- and dose-dependent manner. PCR analysis showed that they inhibited proviral DNA synthesis in infected cells. In contrast, an antisense oligonucleotide targeted to the tat sequence did not inhibit proviral DNA synthesis but inhibited viral production at a later step of virus development. These experiments show that antisense oligonucleotides targeted to two regions of HIV-1 viral RNA can inhibit the first step of viral infection--i.e., reverse transcription--and prevent the synthesis of proviral DNA in cell cultures.

In this study we examined optimization of derivatization of monoclonal antibodies and their fragments intended for use as radiopharmaceutical in radioimaging and/or radioimmunotherapy of prostatic cancer. Two different principles were used to conjugate diethylene triaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) to a monoclonal antibody (Mab, subclass IgG1) raised against human prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). In addition, the F(ab′)2 fragments of this Mab were also derivatized. We used the cyclic anhydride of DTPA (CA-DTPA) as a chelating agent for these two protein moieties. Furthermore, the Mab and the F(ab′)2 fragments were modified site-specifically by attaching linkers,N-(p-aminobenzyl)diethylenetriaminetetraacetic acid (p-NH2-Bz-DTTA) and 1(p-aminobenzyl)diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (p-NH2-Bz-DTPA), to the carbohydrate components of the parent molecules. In this study, biodistribution of the111In-labelled derivatives was investigated in normal mice. All the derivatives of IgG1 demonstrated a slower blood clearance than the corresponding derivatives of the F(ab′)2 fragments. This property was particularly pronounced in the site-specifically conjugated derivatives of IgG1. All the derivatives studied accumulated in the liver, kidney, and spleen. The CA-DTPA derivatives of F(ab′)2 fragments showed the highest kidney-to-blood ratios of radioactivity compared with the other compounds studied. The derivatives of IgG1 showed a higher percentage of the injected dose in liver and spleen tissues than the derivatives of the F(ab′)2 fragments. The F(ab′)2 fragments studied also gave rise to site-specific derivatives, which demonstrated that carbohydrates were also present in this part of the molecule. They behaved similarly to the CA-DTPA F(ab′)2 derivative in other respects, but the kidney accumulation was lower at 72 and 120 h. The F(ab′)2 fragments studied would be better suited for radioimaging than the derivatives of the IgG1 studied due to the rapid blood clearance of the F(ab′)2 derivatives. In contrast, the derivatives of IgG1, especially thep-NH2-Bz-DTPA conjugate, which showed the lowest kidney uptake, might be more suitable candidates for the development of therapeutic agents.