Phosphorothioates, essential components of therapeutic oligonucleotides

Phosphorothioates have found their usefulness in the general area of oligonucleotide therapeutic applications. Initially this modification was introduced into the antisense methodology because of the nuclease resistance of the phosphorothioate linkage in comparison with that of the phosphate linkage. However, as experimental data accumulated, it was detected that this chemical modification also facilitates cellular uptake and bioavailibity in vivo. Thus, today the majority of therapeutic oligonucleotides contain this modification. This review will discuss the historical development of this modification and present some of its chemical properties where they differ from those of the phosphate group. The antisense application will be discussed in the original context with cleavage of the target mRNA, but other target RNAs such as microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs will also be covered. It continues with applications where the target RNA should not be cleaved. A brief presentation of decoy oligonucleotides will be included, as well as some miscellaneous applications. Cellular uptake is a crucial step for oligonucleotides to reach their target and will be briefly reviewed. Lastly, a most surprising recent observation is the presence of phosphorothioate groups in bacterial DNA where functions still remain to be fully determined.