title: Hairpin oligonucleotides forming G-quadruplexes: new aptamers with anti-HIV activity.
abstract: We describe the facile syntheses of new modified oligonucleotides based on d(TG3AG) that form bimolecular G-quadruplexes and possess a HEG loop as an inversion of polarity site 3'-3' or 5'-5' and aromatic residues conjugated to the 5'-end through phosphodiester bonds. The conjugated hairpin G-quadruplexes exhibited parallel orientation, high thermal stability, elevated resistance in human serum and high or moderate anti-HIV-1 activity with low cytotoxicity. Further, these molecules showed significant binding to HIV envelope glycoproteins gp120, gp41 and HSA, as revealed by SPR assays. As a result, these conjugated hairpins represent the first active anti-HIV-1 bimolecular G-quadruplexes based on the d(TG3AG) sequence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli 'Federico II', Via Cintia 4, I-80126 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Romanucci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Seconda Università̀ di Napoli, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaglione
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Seconda Università̀ di Napoli, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Messere
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Seconda Università̀ di Napoli, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Potenza
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli 'Federico II', Via Cintia 4, I-80126 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarrelli
authors.affiliation: Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 10 Minderbroedersstraat, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noppen
authors.affiliation: Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 10 Minderbroedersstraat, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liekens
authors.affiliation: Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 10 Minderbroedersstraat, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balzarini
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli 'Federico II', Via Cintia 4, I-80126 Napoli, Italy. Electronic address: difabio@unina.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Fabio
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054856:G-Quadruplexes; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D009841:Oligonucleotides
keywords: Anti-HIV activity; Aptamers; Conjugated hairpin oligonucleotides; G-quadruplexes; Solid-phase synthesis