Entwicklung eines Systems zur Untersuchung biologischer Eigenschaften mtDNA spezifischer Oligonukleotide und Peptidnukleinsäuren (PNAs) bei Bindung mitochondrialer Tumorzell-DNA in vitro

Abstract

Homoplasmic single base pair exchanges are frequently found in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of malignant cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We targeted mtDNA sequences specific for neoplastic cells in vitro by oligomers, including synthetic peptide nucleic acids (PNA). Unmodified PNAs are uncharged and able to invade a DNA-double strand. We developed an appropriate in vitro system to study the binding of 32P-DNA oligonucleotides and 125I-PNAs to PCR products from mtDNA sequences of cancer cells and controls. We suggest that targeting mtDNA sequences found in cancer cells by sequence specific DNA based molecules represents an approach to influence the behaviour of tumours.