Oligonucleotides labeled with stable isotopes and a method for detecting the same

Abstract

Antisense oligonucleotide sequences which enable the measurement of the distribution and structure of antisense oligonucleotide drugs in the body, with lapse of time, and a method of detecting these sequences are provided. The antisense chains have a natural or non-natural nucleotide or peptide nucleic acid as a structure unit in which carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms are substituted by 13 C and 15 N, respectively, and the antisense chains can be detected by nuclear magnet resonance spectrometry (NMR) such as 15 N— 1 H or 13 C— 1 H heteronuclide multiple quantum coherence spectrometry.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence comprising a single strand RNA or single strand or double strand DNA containing at least one nucleotide or peptide nucleic acid as a structural unit, in which at least one structural C atom is substituted by  13 C, and at least one structural N atom is substituted by  15 N, having 10 to 100 bases complementary to the desired target sequence to be hybridized, 
 said oligonucleotide being 
 1) a natural oligonucleotide wherein 3′-OH and 5′-OH in ribose or deoxyribose are cross-linked by phosphodiester bonds,  
 2) a phosphorothioate oligonucleotide wherein one or two non cross-linked oxygen atoms in the phosphodiester bonds in said natural oligonucleotide are substituted by sulfur atoms, or  
 3) a methylphosphonate oligonucleotide wherein oxygen atoms in the hydroxyl groups in the phosphodiester bonds in said natural-type oligonucleotide are substituted by methyl groups, and  
   said peptide nucleic acid having bases, i.e., purine or pyrimidine, and    said bases being linked together by peptide bonds to form a 2-aminoethylglycine backbone.    
     
     
         2 . An antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence according to  claim 1  wherein all carbon atoms are substituted by  13 C and all nitrogen atoms are substituted by  15 N in every structural unit, i.e., nucleotide or peptide nuclear acid.  
     
     
         3 . A composition comprising the antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence of  claim 1  or and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         4 . A composition comprising the antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence of  claim 2  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         5 . A method of detecting an antisense oligonucleotide sequence containing stable isotopes, or decomposition products thereof, or an antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence containing stable isotopes, or decomposition products thereof, comprising 
 a step of sampling at least one material to be measured, i.e., blood, tissues, organs, body fluids, cells or excretions from a subject animal to which an antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence having a sequence complementary to a desired target sequence to form a hybrid is administered, or    a step of sampling subject culture cells to which an antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence having a sequence complementary to a desired target sequence to form a hybrid is administered, and    a step of measuring the antisense oligonucleotide or antisense peptide nucleic acid derived from said sampled material, by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry,    said antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence being the abovementioned antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence of  claim 1 .    
     
     
         6 . A method of detecting an antisense oligonucleotide sequence containing stable isotopes, or decomposition products thereof, or an antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence containing stable isotopes, or decomposition products thereof, comprising 
 a step of sampling at least one material to be measured, i.e., blood, tissues, organs, body fluids, cells or excretions from a subject animal to which an antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence having a sequence complementary to a desired target sequence to form a hybrid is administered, or    a step of sampling subject culture cells to which an antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence having a sequence complementary to a desired target sequence to form a hybrid is administered, and    a step of measuring the antisense oligonucleotide or antisense peptide nucleic acid derived from said sampled material, by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry,    said antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence being the abovementioned antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence of  claim 2 .    
     
     
         7 . A method of detecting an antisense oligonucleotide sequence containing stable isotopes, or decomposition products thereof, or an antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence containing stable isotopes, or decomposition products thereof, comprising 
 a step of subjecting a subject animal to which the antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence of  claim 1  is administered to magnetic resonance imaging.    
     
     
         8 . A method of detecting an antisense oligonucleotide sequence containing stable isotopes, or decomposition products thereof, or an antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence containing stable isotopes, or decomposition products thereof, comprising 
 a step of subjecting a subject animal to which the antisense oligonucleotide sequence or antisense peptide nucleic acid sequence of  claim 2  is administered to magnetic resonance imaging.