title: LNA-antisense rivals siRNA for gene silencing.
abstract: Locked nucleic acid (LNA) is a class of nucleic acid analogs possessing unprecedented binding affinity toward complementary DNA and RNA while obeying the Watson-Crick base-pairing rules. For efficient gene silencing in vitro and in vivo, fully modified or chimeric LNA oligonucleotides have been applied. LNA oligonucleotides are commercially available, can be transfected using standard techniques, are non-toxic, lead to increased target accessibility, can be designed to activate RNase H, and function in steric block approaches. LNA-Antisense, including gapmer LNA containing a central DNA or phosphorothioate-DNA segment flanked by LNA gaps, rivals siRNA as the technology of choice for target validation and therapeutic applications.
authors.affiliation: Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Biology, Department of Tumor Endocrinology, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jan Stenvang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jepsen
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wengel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015195:Drug Design; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000187:drug effects*; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism*; D016914:Ribonuclease H / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C477371:locked nucleic acid; D016914:Ribonuclease H