Specific antiviral activity of a poly(L-lysine)-conjugated oligodeoxyribonucleotide sequence complementary to vesicular stomatitis virus N protein mRNA initiation site.

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Antisense oligonucleotides represent an interesting tool for selective inhibition of gene expression, but their efficient introduction within intact cells proved to be difficult to realize. As a step toward this goal, small (13- or 15-mer) synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides have been coupled at their 3' ends to epsilon-amino groups of lysine residues of poly(L-lysine) (Mr, 14,000). A 15-mer oligonucleotide-poly(L-lysine) conjugate complementary to the initiation region of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) N-protein mRNA specifically inhibits the synthesis of VSV proteins and exerts an antiviral activity against VSV when added in the cell culture medium at doses as low as 100 nM. Neither synthesis of cellular proteins nor multiplication of encephalomyocarditis virus was affected significantly by this oligonucleotide conjugate. The data suggest that oligonucleotide-poly(L-lysine) conjugates might become effective for studies on gene expression regulation and for antiviral chemotherapy.