Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

Sequence-specific and Selective Recognition of Double-stranded RNAs over Single-stranded RNAs by Chemically Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids
Published on: September 21, 2017
Recent progress in oligonucleotide therapeutics: antisense to aptamers
1The University of Toledo, Department of Biological Sciences, Toledo, OH 43606, USA +1 419 530 1555 ; +1 419 530 7737 ; dleaman@utnet.utoledo.edu.
Background:
Antisense and other RNA-targeting strategies have the potential to impact a broad array of human diseases. Although the methodological approaches for achieving targeted RNA degradation have changed over the past 5 - 10 years, the technological hurdles facing these and other nucleic acid-based drugs have remained fairly constant.
Objective:
To provide an update on the clinical status of several antisense compounds and discuss methodological strategies for improving efficacy of antisense compounds and other nucleic acid therapeutics.
Method:
Some of the clinical advances in antisense therapeutics, including a description of sugar or backbone modifications and delivery approaches for improving antisense efficacy are highlighted; a few alternative nucleic acid strategies are discussed.
Conclusion:
Although a variety of technological issues continue to hamper antisense progress towards the clinic, advances in stabilization and delivery have provided new hope for using nucleic acids as drugs.
Related Concept Videos
RNA Interference
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
Experimental RNAi
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Types of RNA
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
