Theoretical and experimental approaches to design effective antisense oligonucleotides

Among the large number of possible antisense oligonucleotides (asODN) again st a given target nucleic acid, only a small number of species seems to giv e rise to satisfactorily strong inhibition of target gene expression in liv ing cells. Therefore much attention is paid to strategies that help to succ essfully design effective asODN. Here, selected experimental approaches and theoretical concepts will be briefly described that have been developed to increase the probability of success in the use of asODN. Advantages and di sadvantages of these strategies will be compared and the relatively new and controversially discussed concept of a theoretical and computer-supported design of effective asODN will be addressed.