Evaluation of the cellular uptake of hexitol nucleic acids in Hela cells
Atkins, D.; Miller, M.; De Bouvere, B.; van Aerschot, A.; Herdewijn, P.
Die Pharmazie 55(8): 615-617
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-7144 PMID: 10989842 Document Number: 516537
Two major hurdles to the widespread use of synthetic nucleic acids as drugs are the biological stability of the compounds and efficiency of cellular penetration. Recent advances in the chemistry of nucleic acids has given rise to highly stable derivatives with an anhydrohexitol backbone. This report addresses the cellular uptake of these molecules. We show that the uptake of HNA in the absence of a carrier is very low but HNA is efficiently internalized with a range of transfection reagents.