Specific covalent binding of a NF-kappaB decoy hairpin oligonucleotide targeted to the p50 subunit and induction of apoptosis.

The NF-kappaB transcriptional factor regulates various functions such as immune responses, cellular growth and development, and is frequently activated in tumor cells. Thus, inhibition of NF-kappaB could suppress tumor cell growth. Using a decoy synthetic hairpin-shaped oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ODN) containing the kappaB site with an integrated single diphosphoryldisulfide linkage, we demonstrate its covalent binding to the p50 subunit of NF-kappaB. Furthermore, this decoy ODN induces apoptosis in a lymphoblastoma cell line. Thus, such chemically modified decoys could be valuable tools for blocking nuclear factors and tumor cell growth.