Inhibition of influenza virus RNA polymerase and nucleoprotein of gene expression by antisense oligonucleotides.

We demonstrated that unmodified and modified (phosphorothioate) antisense oligonucleotides inhibit CAT (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase) protein expression in the clone 76 cell line. This cell line expresses the influenza virus RNA polymerase and nucleoprotein (NP) genes in response to dexamethasone. Antisense oligonucleotides with four target sites (PB1, PB2, PA, and NP) were synthesized and tested for the their inhibitory effects by a CAT-ELISA assay. Antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (S-ODNs) complementary to the sites of the PB2-AUG and PA-AUG initiation codons showed a high inhibitory effect. On the other hand, the inhibitory effect of the S-ODNs targeted to PB1 was considerably decreased in comparison with the other three target sites.