Photo-controlled gene expression by fluorescein-labeled antisense oligonucleotides in combination with visible light irradiation

A new concept of "photo" -antisense method has been evaluated, where the inhibition of gene expression by the conventional antisense method is enhanced by photochemical binding between antisense oligonucleotides conjugated with photo-reactive compound and target mRNA or DNA. Fluorescein labeled oligodeoxyribonucleotides (F-DNA) was delivered to cell nuclei in the encapsulated form in multilamellar lecithin liposomes with neutral charge. F-DNA was previously shown to photo-bind to the complementary stranded DNA, and the delivery system using neutral liposome to be effective in normal human keratinocytes. In the present study, we used human kidney cancer G401.2/6TG.1 cell line to be advantageous in reproducible experiments. p53 was adopted as a target gene since antisense sequence information has been accumulated. The nuclear localization ofF-DNA was identified by comparing the fluorescence ofF-DNA with that of Hoechst 33258 under fluorescence microscope. After 7hr incubation to accumulate p53 protein induced by UV -B, p53 protein was quantified by Western blot. After 2hrs from F-DNA application, about 30% of cell population incorporated F-DNA in their nuclei with some morphological change possibly due to liposomal toxicity. Irradiation of visible light longer than 400nm from solar simulator at this time enhanced the inhibitory action of antisense F-DNA. The present results suggest that photo-antisense method is promising to control gene expression in time and space dependent manner. Further improvement of F-DNA delivery to cancer cells in the stability and toxicity is in progress. progress.