INTRODUCTION OF ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES INTO CELLS BY PERMEABILIZATION WITH STREPTOLYSIN-O

Cellular uptake of antisense oligonucleotides is critical to their abi lity to inhibit gene expression. In the present study, phosphodiester oligodeoxynucleotides were introduced into cells during brief permeabi lization with the pore-forming agent streptolysin O. The extent of ant isense inhibition was dependent on the concentration of oligonucleotid e present during permabilization. In addition, the level of antisense inhibition was time-dependent; it reached a maximum at 18 h and subseq uently diminished to control levels over the next 48 h. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of streptolysin O permeabilization as a means for simple and rapid introduction of oligonucleotides into eukar yotic cells.