Anti-sense oligodeoxynucleoside phosphorothioates nonspecifically inhibit invasion of red blood cells by malaria parasites.
Anti-sense and sense oligodeoxynucleoside phosphorothioates, based on analysis of the secondary structure of Plasmodium falciparumdihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase mRNA, were synthesized. Their effects on P. falciparum growth in vitro were examined by microscopy and [3H] hypoxanthine incorporation. Both anti-sense and sense oligodeoxynucleoside phosphorothioates inhibit invasion of red blood cells by merozoites and this is interpreted as being caused by their polyanionic nature. Specific anti-sense effects of the oligonucleoside phosphorothioates could not however be demonstrated.
Ramasamy
R
R
Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Ranjan@ifs.ac.lk
Kanagaratnam
R
R
Misiura
K
K
Rebowski
G
G
Amerakoon
R
R
Stec
W J
WJ
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000254:growth & development*; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology*
D017931:DNA Primers; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D013873:Thionucleotides; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase