WO2009143372A2 - Compositions comportant des arnsi des gènes a-raf, b-raf, et c-raf et leurs procédés d’utilisation - Google Patents

Compositions comportant des arnsi des gènes a-raf, b-raf, et c-raf et leurs procédés d’utilisation Download PDF

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WO2009143372A2
WO2009143372A2 PCT/US2009/044893 US2009044893W WO2009143372A2 WO 2009143372 A2 WO2009143372 A2 WO 2009143372A2 US 2009044893 W US2009044893 W US 2009044893W WO 2009143372 A2 WO2009143372 A2 WO 2009143372A2
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raf
sirna
polynucleotide
nucleic acid
seq
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PCT/US2009/044893
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WO2009143372A3 (fr
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Frank Y. Xie
Xiaodong Yang
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Intradigm Corporation
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N15/00—Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor
    • C12N15/09—Recombinant DNA-technology
    • C12N15/11—DNA or RNA fragments; Modified forms thereof; Non-coding nucleic acids having a biological activity
    • C12N15/113—Non-coding nucleic acids modulating the expression of genes, e.g. antisense oligonucleotides; Antisense DNA or RNA; Triplex- forming oligonucleotides; Catalytic nucleic acids, e.g. ribozymes; Nucleic acids used in co-suppression or gene silencing
    • C12N15/1135—Non-coding nucleic acids modulating the expression of genes, e.g. antisense oligonucleotides; Antisense DNA or RNA; Triplex- forming oligonucleotides; Catalytic nucleic acids, e.g. ribozymes; Nucleic acids used in co-suppression or gene silencing against oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P35/00—Antineoplastic agents
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N2310/00—Structure or type of the nucleic acid
    • C12N2310/10—Type of nucleic acid
    • C12N2310/14—Type of nucleic acid interfering N.A.

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to siRNA molecules for modulating the expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and C-Raf.
  • the mammalian Raf family consists of the following three genes: A-Raf, B-Raf, and C-Raf, which are located on chromosomes Xp11 , 7q32, and 3p25, respectively.
  • the Raf proto-oncogenes encode three 68- to 74-kd cytosolic proteins, termed A-RAF, B-RAF, and C-RAF (RAF-1 ), which share highly conserved amino-terminal regulatory regions and catalytic domains at the carboxyl terminus.
  • A-RAF 68- to 74-kd cytosolic proteins
  • RAF-1 RAF-1
  • Raf species has a distinct expression profile in tissues, which suggests that individual Raf isoforms perform clearly defined functions.
  • C-RAF is ubiquitously expressed in most tissues. Both A- and B-RAF have more restricted expression profiles than C-RAF, with A-RAF overexpressed in urogenital tissues (e.g., kidney, ovary, prostate, and epididymis) and B-RAF overexpressed in neural, testicular, splenic, and hematopoietic tissues.
  • urogenital tissues e.g., kidney, ovary, prostate, and epididymis
  • B-RAF overexpressed in neural, testicular, splenic, and hematopoietic tissues.
  • Raf knockout studies in which mice lacking each of the three Raf proteins have disparate phenotypes. B-Raf knockouts die in utero by day 12, usually as a result of massive internal hemorrhage, whereas A-Raf and C- Raf knockouts die postpartum with extensive intestinal distension (A-Raf knockout) or failure of lung maturation (C- Raf knockout).
  • Rap1 is a small GTPase that functions as both an activator and repressor of Raf.
  • Rap1 a small GTPase that functions as both an activator and repressor of Raf.
  • Rap1- mediated stimulation of B- RAF by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) phosphorylates ERK
  • C-RAF inhibits ERK phosphorylation.
  • Raf proteins are predominately a result of point (missense) mutations, deletions, amplification, and rearrangements of raf.
  • Such genetic alterations have been identified in malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, biliary tract, and other organs.
  • RNAi technology is emerging as an effective means for reducing the expression of specific gene products and may therefore prove to be uniquely useful in a number of therapeutic, diagnostic, and research applications for the modulation of expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and C-Raf .
  • the present invention provides compositions and methods for modulating expression of these proteins using RNAi technology.
  • RNA interference refers to the process of sequence-specific post- transcriptional gene silencing in animals mediated by short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) (Zamore et al., 2000, Cell, 101 , 25-33; Fire et al., 1998, Nature, 391 , 806; Hamilton et al., 1999, Science, 286, 950-951 ; Lin et al., 1999, Nature, 402, 128-129; Sharp, 1999, Genes & Dev., 13, 139-141 ; and Strauss, 1999, Science, 286, 886). The corresponding process in plants (Heifetz et al., International PCT Publication No.
  • WO 99/61631 is commonly referred to as post-transcriptional gene silencing or RNA silencing and is also referred to as quelling in fungi.
  • the process of post-transcriptional gene silencing is thought to be an evolutionarily-conserved cellular defense mechanism used to prevent the expression of foreign genes and is commonly shared by diverse flora and phyla (Fire et al., 1999, Trends Genet., 15, 358).
  • Such protection from foreign gene expression may have evolved in response to the production of double- stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) derived from viral infection or from the random integration of transposon elements into a host genome via a cellular response that specifically destroys homologous single-stranded RNA or viral genomic RNA.
  • dsRNAs double- stranded RNAs
  • RNAi response through a mechanism that has yet to be fully characterized.
  • This mechanism appears to be different from other known mechanisms involving double stranded RNA-specific hbonucleases, such as the interferon response that results from dsRNA-mediated activation of protein kinase PKR and 2 ' ,5 ' -oligoadenylate synthetase resulting in non-specific cleavage of mRNA by ribonuclease L (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,107,094; 5,898,031 ; Clemens et al., 1997, J. Interferon & Cytokine Res., 17, 503-524; Adah et al., 2001 , Curr. Med. Chem., 8, 1189).
  • dsRNAs The presence of long dsRNAs in cells stimulates the activity of a ribonuclease III enzyme referred to as dicer (Bass, 2000, Cell, 101 , 235; Zamore et al., 2000, Cell, 101 , 25-33; Hammond et al., 2000, Nature, 404, 293).
  • Dicer is involved in the processing of the dsRNA into short pieces of dsRNA known as short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) (Zamore et al., 2000, Cell, 101 , 25- 33; Bass, 2000, Cell, 101 , 235; Berstein et al., 2001 , Nature, 409, 363).
  • Short interfering RNAs derived from dicer activity are typically about 21 to about 23 nucleotides in length and comprise about 19 base pair duplexes (Zamore et al., 2000, Cell, 101 , 25-33; Elbashir et al., 2001 , Genes Dev., 15, 188).
  • Dicer has also been implicated in the excision of 21 - and 22-nucleotide small temporal RNAs (stRNAs) from precursor RNA of conserved structure that are implicated in translational control (Hutvagner et al., 2001 , Science, 293, 834).
  • RNAi response also features an endonuclease complex, commonly referred to as an RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), which mediates cleavage of single- stranded RNA having sequence complementary to the antisense strand of the siRNA duplex. Cleavage of the target RNA takes place in the middle of the region complementary to the antisense strand of the siRNA duplex (Elbashir et al., 2001 , Genes Dev., 15, 188).
  • RISC RNA-induced silencing complex
  • RNAi has been studied in a variety of systems. Fire et al., 1998, Nature, 391 , 806, were the first to observe RNAi in C. elegans. Bahramian and Zarbl, 1999, Molecular and Cellular Biology, 19, 274-283 and Wianny and Goetz, 1999, Nature Cell Biol., 2, 70, describe RNAi mediated by dsRNA in mammalian systems. Hammond et al., 2000, Nature, 404, 293, describe RNAi in Drosophila cells transfected with dsRNA. Elbashir et al., 2001 , Nature, 411 , 494 and Tuschl et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 01/75164, describe RNAi induced by introduction of duplexes of synthetic 21 -nucleotide RNAs in cultured mammalian cells including human embryonic kidney and HeLa cells.
  • dsRNA Long dsRNA has been described.
  • Beach et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 01/68836 describes specific methods for attenuating gene expression using endogenously-dehved dsRNA.
  • Tuschl et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 01/75164 describe a Drosophila in vitro RNAi system and the use of specific siRNA molecules for certain functional genomic and certain therapeutic applications; although Tuschl, 2001 , Chem. Biochem., 2, 239-245, doubts that RNAi can be used to cure genetic diseases or viral infection due to the danger of activating interferon response.
  • WO 00/44914 describe the use of specific long (141 bp-488 bp) enzymatically synthesized or vector expressed dsRNAs for attenuating the expression of certain target genes.
  • Zernicka-Goetz et al. International PCT Publication No. WO 01/36646, describe certain methods for inhibiting the expression of particular genes in mammalian cells using certain long (550 bp-714 bp), enzymatically synthesized or vector expressed dsRNA molecules.
  • Fire et ai International PCT Publication No. WO 99/32619, describe particular methods for introducing certain long dsRNA molecules into cells for use in inhibiting gene expression in nematodes.
  • Plaetinck et al. International PCT Publication No. WO 00/01846, describe certain methods for identifying specific genes responsible for conferring a particular phenotype in a cell using specific long dsRNA molecules.
  • MeIIo et al. International PCT Publication No. WO 01/29058, describe the identification of specific genes involved in dsRNA-mediated RNAi.
  • Pachuck et ai International PCT Publication No. WO 00/63364, describe certain long (at least 200 nucleotide) dsRNA constructs. Deschamps Depaillette et ai, International PCT Publication No.
  • WO 99/07409 describe specific compositions consisting of particular dsRNA molecules combined with certain anti-viral agents.
  • Waterhouse et ai International PCT Publication No. 99/53050 and 1998, PNAS, 95, 13959-13964, describe certain methods for decreasing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid in plant cells using certain dsRNAs.
  • Driscoll et al. International PCT Publication No. WO 01/49844, describe specific DNA expression constructs for use in facilitating gene silencing in targeted organisms.
  • RNAi and gene-silencing systems have reported on various RNAi and gene-silencing systems. For example, Parrish et al., 2000, Molecular Cell, 6, 1077-1087, describe specific chemically-modified dsRNA constructs targeting the unc-22 gene of C. elegans. Grossniklaus, International PCT Publication No. WO 01/38551 , describes certain methods for regulating polycomb gene expression in plants using certain dsRNAs. Churikov et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 01/42443, describe certain methods for modifying genetic characteristics of an organism using certain dsRNAs. Cogoni et al., International PCT Publication No.
  • WO 01/53475 describe certain methods for isolating a Neurospora silencing gene and uses thereof.
  • Reed et al. International PCT Publication No. WO 01/68836, describe certain methods for gene silencing in plants.
  • Honer et al. International PCT Publication No. WO 01/70944, describe certain methods of drug screening using transgenic nematodes as Parkinson's Disease models using certain dsRNAs.
  • Deak et ai International PCT Publication No. WO 01/72774, describe certain Drosophila- derived gene products that may be related to RNAi in Drosophila.
  • Arndt et ai International PCT Publication No.
  • WO 01/92513 describe certain methods for mediating gene suppression by using factors that enhance RNAi.
  • Tuschl et ai International PCT Publication No. WO 02/44321 , describe certain synthetic siRNA constructs.
  • Pachuk et ai International PCT Publication No. WO 00/63364, and Satishchandran et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 01/04313, describe certain methods and compositions for inhibiting the function of certain polynucleotide sequences using certain long (over 250 bp), vector expressed dsRNAs.
  • Echeverh et ai International PCT Publication No. WO 02/38805, describe certain C. elegans genes identified via RNAi.
  • Martinez et al., 2002, Cell, 110, 563-574 describe certain single stranded siRNA constructs, including certain 5 ' - phosphorylated single stranded siRNAs that mediate RNA interference in HeIa cells.
  • Harborth et al., 2003, Antisense & Nucleic Acid Drug Development, 13, 83-105 describe certain chemically and structurally modified siRNA molecules.
  • nucleic acid molecule that down-regulates the expression of a Raf gene, wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid that targets any one of the polynucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of: (a) SEQ ID NOs: 1 -44; (b) SEQ ID NOs: 136-197 ; and (c) SEQ ID NOs : 325-396.
  • a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention down- regulates A-Raf expression and targets any one of the polynucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 1 -44.
  • a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention down-regulates B-Raf expression and targets any one of the polynucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 136-197.
  • a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention down-regulates C-Raf expression and targets any one of the polynucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 325-396.
  • a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention downregulates one or more of A-Raf, B-Raf and C-Raf and in certain embodiments, a nucleic acid molecule of the invention downregulates expression of all three of these genes.
  • siRNA polynucleotide comprising at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540.
  • siRNA polynucleotide of the present invention comprises at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540 and the complementary polynucleotide thereto.
  • the small interfering RNA polynucleotide inhibits expression of a A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf polypeptide, wherein the A-Raf, B-Raf, and C-Raf polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NOs:135, 324 or 543, respectively, or that is encoded by the polynucleotides as set forth in SEQ ID NOs:133, 322 and 541.
  • the nucleotide sequence of the siRNA polynucleotide differs by one, two, three or four nucleotides at any positions of the siRNA polynucleotides as described herein, such as those provided in SEQ ID NOS: 45-132, 198-321 and 397-540, or the complement thereof.
  • the nucleotide sequence of the siRNA polynucleotide differs by at least one mismatched base pair between a 5' end of an antisense strand and a 3' end of a sense strand of a sequence selected from the group consisting of the sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOS:45-132, 198-321 and 397- 540.
  • the mismatched base pair may include, but are not limited to G:A, C:A, C:U, G:G, A:A, C:C, U:U, C:T, and U:T mismatches.
  • the mismatched base pair comprises a wobble base pair between the 5' end of the antisense strand and the 3' end of the sense strand.
  • the nucleotide sequence of the siRNA polynucleotide comprises at least one base pair mismatch between a 3' end of an antisense strand and a 5' end of a sense strand of a sequence selected from the group consisting of the sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 45-132, 198-321 and 397-540.
  • the siRNA polynucleotide contains at least one chemically modified nucleotide, such as, but not limited to, 2'-Omethyl modification.
  • the siRNA polynucleotide comprises at least one synthetic nucleotide analogue of a naturally occurring nucleotide.
  • a detectable label such as a reporter molecule or a magnetic or paramagnetic particle.
  • Reporter molecules are well known to the skilled artisan.
  • Illustrative reporter molecules include, but are in no way limited to, a dye, a radionuclide, a luminescent group, a fluorescent group, and biotin.
  • siRNA molecule that inhibits expression of a A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf gene
  • the siRNA molecule comprises a nucleic acid that targets a sequence provided in SEQ ID NOs:133, 322 or 541 , or a variant thereof having serine/threonine kinase activity.
  • the siRNA molecules target a sequence provided in SEQ ID NOs:1-44, 136-197 or 325-396.
  • the siRNA comprises any one of the single stranded RNA sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540, or a double-stranded RNA thereof.
  • the siRNA molecule down regulates expression of a A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf gene via RNA interference (RNAi).
  • RNAi RNA interference
  • compositions comprising any one or more of the siRNA polynucleotides described herein and a physiologically acceptable carrier.
  • the present invention provides a nucleic acid of the present invention in a composition comprising copolymers of lysine and histidine (HK) as described in US Patents 7,163,695, 7,070,807, and 6,692,911 either alone or in combination with PEG ⁇ e.g., branched or unbranched PEG or a mixture of both) or in combination with PEG and a targeting moiety. Any combination of the above can also be combined with crosslinking to provide additional stability.
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a method for treating or preventing malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, and biliary tract in a subject having or suspected of being at risk for having such a cancer, comprising administering to the subject a composition of the invention, such as a composition comprising the siRNA molecules of the invention, thereby treating or preventing the cancer.
  • a composition of the invention such as a composition comprising the siRNA molecules of the invention
  • a further aspect of the invention provides a method for inhibiting the synthesis or expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf comprising contacting a cell expressing A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf with any one or more siRNA molecules wherein the one or more siRNA molecules comprises a sequence selected from the sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198- 321 and 397-540, or a double-stranded RNA thereof.
  • a nucleic acid sequence encoding A-Raf, B-Raf, and C-Raf comprises the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 133, 322 and 541 , respectively.
  • Yet a further aspect of the invention provides a method for reducing the severity of malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, and biliary tract in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising the siRNA as described herein, thereby reducing the severity of such a cancer.
  • hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia
  • head and neck squamous cell carcinoma ⁇ cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, and biliary tract in a subject
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a recombinant nucleic acid construct comprising a nucleic acid that is capable of directing transcription of a small interfering RNA (siRNA), the nucleic acid comprising: (a) a first promoter; (b) a second promoter; and (c) at least one DNA polynucleotide segment comprising at least one polynucleotide that is selected from the group consisting of (i) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540, and (ii) a polynucleotide of at least 18 nucleotides that is complementary to the polynucleotide of (i), wherein the DNA polynucleotide segment is operably linked to at least one of the first and second promoters, and wherein the promoters are oriented to direct transcription of the DNA polynucleotide segment and of the complement there
  • the recombinant nucleic acid construct comprises at least one enhancer that is selected from a first enhancer operably linked to the first promoter and a second enhancer operably linked to the second promoter.
  • the recombinant nucleic acid construct comprises at least one transcriptional terminator that is selected from (i) a first transcriptional terminator that is positioned in the construct to terminate transcription directed by the first promoter and (ii) a second transcriptional terminator that is positioned in the construct to terminate transcription directed by the second promoter.
  • Another aspect of the invention provides isolated host cells transformed or transfected with a recombinant nucleic acid construct as described herein.
  • nucleic acid molecule that down regulates expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf
  • nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid that targets A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf mRNA, whose representative sequences are provided in SEQ ID NOs: 133, 322 and 541 , respectively.
  • Corresponding amino acid sequences are set forth in SEQ ID NOs:135, 324 and 543, respectively.
  • the nucleic acid is an siRNA molecule.
  • the siRNA comprises any one of the single stranded RNA sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540, or a double-stranded RNA thereof.
  • Illustrative target sequences of A-Raf, B-Raf, and C-Raf specifically targeted by the siRNA of the invention are provided in SEQ ID NOs:1 -44, 136-197 and 325- 396.
  • the nucleic acid molecule down regulates expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf gene via RNA interference (RNAi).
  • RNAi RNA interference
  • a further aspect of the invention provides a composition comprising any one or more of the siRNA molecules of the invention as set forth in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540.
  • the composition may comprise 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100 or more siRNA molecules of the invention.
  • the siRNA molecules may all target one of A-Raf, B-Raf, or C- Raf.
  • the siRNA molecules of the invention may target any combination of two or all three of these target genes ⁇ e.g., A-Raf and B- Raf; A-Raf and C-Raf; B-Raf and C-Raf; A-Raf, B-Raf and C-Raf).
  • the siRNA molecules may be selected from the siRNA molecules provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540, or a double-stranded RNA thereof.
  • the siRNA molecules may target A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf and may be a mixture of siRNA molecules that target different regions of any one of these genes, or any two or all three of these target genes, such as the regions identified in the specific target sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs:1 - 44, 136-197 and 325-396.
  • the compositions may comprise a targeting moiety or ligand, such as a targeting moeity that will target the siRNA composition to a desired cell.
  • SEQ ID NOs: 1 -44 represent A-Raf siRNA polynucleotide target sequences on A-Raf cDNA.
  • SEQ ID NOs: 45-132 represent single stranded polynucleotide sequences of siRNAs that target the A-Raf mRNA.
  • SEQ ID NO: 133 represents a polynucleotide sequence of an A- Raf cDNA.
  • SEQ ID NO: 134 represents a polynucleotide sequence of an A- Raf ORF.
  • SEQ ID NO: 135 represents the amino acid sequence encoded by the polynucleotide sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 134.
  • SEQ ID NOs: 136-197 represent B-Raf siRNA polynucleotide target sequences on B-Raf cDNA.
  • SEQ ID NOs: 198-321 represent single stranded polynucleotide sequences of siRNAs that target the B-Raf mRNA.
  • SEQ ID NO: 322 represents a polynucleotide sequence of an B- Raf cDNA.
  • SEQ ID NO: 323 represents a polynucleotide sequence of an B- Raf ORF.
  • SEQ ID NO: 324 represents the amino acid sequence encoded by the polynucleotide sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 323.
  • SEQ ID NOs: 325-396 represent C-Raf siRNA polynucleotide target sequences on C-Raf cDNA.
  • SEQ ID NOs: 397-540 represent single stranded polynucleotide sequences of siRNAs that target the C-Raf mRNA.
  • SEQ ID NO: 541 represents a polynucleotide sequence of an C- Raf cDNA.
  • SEQ ID NO: 542 represents a polynucleotide sequence of an C- Raf ORF.
  • SEQ ID NO: 543 represents the amino acid sequence encoded by the polynucleotide sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 542.
  • the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules for modulating the expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and C-Raf.
  • the nucleic acid is ribonucleic acid (RNA).
  • the RNA molecules are single or double stranded.
  • the nucleic acid based molecules of the present invention such as siRNA, inhibit or down-regulate expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf .
  • the present invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods for the study, diagnosis, and treatment of traits, diseases and conditions that respond to the modulation of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf gene expression and/or activity.
  • the present invention is also directed to compounds, compositions, and methods relating to traits, diseases and conditions that respond to the modulation of expression and/or activity of genes involved in A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf gene expression pathways or other cellular processes that mediate the maintenance or development of such traits, diseases and conditions.
  • the invention relates to double stranded nucleic acid molecules including small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules capable of mediating RNA interference (RNAi) against A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C- Raf gene expression, including cocktails of such small nucleic acid molecules and nanoparticle or nanoplex formulations of such small nucleic acid molecules.
  • small nucleic acid molecules such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules capable of mediating RNA interference (RNAi) against A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C- Raf gene expression, including cocktails of such small nucleic acid molecules and
  • the present invention also relates to small nucleic acid molecules, such as siNA, siRNA, and others that can inhibit the function of endogenous RNA molecules, such as endogenous micro-RNA (miRNA) (e.g, miRNA inhibitors) or endogenous short interfering RNA (siRNA), (e.g., siRNA inhibitors) or that can inhibit the function of RISC ⁇ e.g., RISC inhibitors), to modulate A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf gene expression by interfering with the regulatory function of such endogenous RNAs or proteins associated with such endogenous RNAs ⁇ e.g., RISC), including cocktails of such small nucleic acid molecules and nanoparticle formulations of such small nucleic acid molecules.
  • miRNA micro-RNA
  • siRNA short interfering RNA
  • RISC ⁇ e.g., RISC inhibitors
  • Such small nucleic acid molecules are useful, for example, in providing compositions to prevent, inhibit, or reduce malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, and biliary tract and/or other disease states, conditions, or traits associated with A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf gene expression or activity in a subject or organism.
  • malignant melanoma hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia
  • head and neck squamous cell carcinoma colorectal cancer
  • inhibit or “down-regulate” it is meant that the expression of the gene, or level of mRNA encoding a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf protein, levels of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf protein, or activity of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf , is reduced below that observed in the absence of the nucleic acid molecules of the invention.
  • inhibition or down-regulation with the nucleic acid molecules of the invention is below that level observed in the presence of an inactive control or attenuated molecule that is able to bind to the same target mRNA, but is unable to cleave or otherwise silence that mRNA.
  • inhibition or down-regulation with the nucleic acid molecules of the invention is preferably below that level observed in the presence of, for example, a nucleic acid with scrambled sequence or with mismatches.
  • inhibition or down-regulation of A-Raf, B- Raf, and/or C-Raf with the nucleic acid molecule of the instant invention is greater in the presence of the nucleic acid molecule than in its absence.
  • module is meant that the expression of the gene, or level of RNAs or equivalent RNAs encoding one or more protein subunits, or activity of one or more protein subunit(s) is up-regulated or down-regulated, such that the expression, level, or activity is greater than or less than that observed in the absence of the nucleic acid molecules of the invention.
  • double stranded RNA or “dsRNA” is meant a double stranded RNA that matches a predetermined gene sequence that is capable of activating cellular enzymes that degrade the corresponding messenger RNA transcripts of the gene.
  • dsRNAs are referred to as small interfering RNA (siRNA) and can be used to inhibit gene expression (see for example Elbashir et al., 2001 , Nature, 411 , 494-498; and Bass, 2001 , Nature, 411 , 428-429).
  • double stranded RNA or “dsRNA” as used herein also refers to a double stranded RNA molecule capable of mediating RNA interference "RNAi", including small interfering RNA “siRNA” (see for example Bass, 2001 , Nature, 411 , 428-429; Elbashir et al., 2001 , Nature, 411 , 494-498; and Kreutzer et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 00/44895; Zernicka-Goetz et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 01/36646; Fire, International PCT Publication No. WO 99/32619; Plaetinck et al., International PCT Publication No.
  • RNA nucleic acid that encodes an RNA
  • a nucleic acid that target is meant a nucleic acid as described herein that matches, is complementary to or otherwise specifically binds or specifically hybridizes to and thereby can modulate the expression of the gene that comprises the target sequence, or level of mRNAs or equivalent RNAs encoding one or more protein subunits, or activity of one or more protein subunit(s) encoded by the gene.
  • “Complementarity” refers to the ability of a nucleic acid to form hydrogen bond(s) with another RNA sequence by either traditional Watson- Crick or other non-traditional types.
  • the binding free energy for a nucleic acid molecule with its target or complementary sequence is sufficient to allow the relevant function of the nucleic acid to proceed, e.g., enzymatic nucleic acid cleavage, antisense or triple helix inhibition. Determination of binding free energies for nucleic acid molecules is well known in the art (see, e.g., Turner et ai, 1987, CSH Symp. Quant. Biol. LII, pp.
  • a percent complementarity indicates the percentage of contiguous residues in a nucleic acid molecule which can form hydrogen bonds (e.g., Watson-Crick base pairing) with a second nucleic acid sequence (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 out of 10 being 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% complementary).
  • Perfectly complementary means that all the contiguous residues of a nucleic acid sequence will hydrogen bond with the same number of contiguous residues in a second nucleic acid sequence.
  • RNA is meant a molecule comprising at least one ribonucleotide residue.
  • ribonucleotide or “2 ' -OH” is meant a nucleotide with a hydroxyl group at the 2 ' position of a ⁇ -D-ribo-furanose moiety.
  • RNA interference or "RNAi” is meant a biological process of inhibiting or down regulating gene expression in a cell as is generally known in the art and which is mediated by short interfering nucleic acid molecules, see for example Zamore and Haley, 2005, Science, 309, 1519-1524; Vaughn and Martienssen, 2005, Science, 309, 1525-1526; Zamore et al., 2000, Cell, 101 , 25-33; Bass, 2001 , Nature, 411 , 428-429; Elbashir et al., 2001 , Nature, 411 , 494-498; and Kreutzer et al., International PCT Publication No.
  • RNAi is meant to be equivalent to other terms used to describe sequence specific RNA interference, such as post transcriptional gene silencing, translational inhibition, transcriptional inhibition, or epigenetics.
  • siRNA molecules of the invention can be used to epigenetically silence genes at both the post-transcriptional level or the pre- transcriptional level.
  • epigenetic modulation of gene expression by siRNA molecules of the invention can result from siRNA mediated modification of chromatin structure or methylation patterns to alter gene expression (see, for example, Verdel et al., 2004, Science, 303, 672-676; Pal-Bhadra et al., 2004, Science, 303, 669-672; Allshire, 2002, Science, 297, 1818-1819; Volpe et al., 2002, Science, 297, 1833-1837; Jenuwein, 2002, Science, 297, 2215-2218; and Hall et al., 2002, Science, 297, 2232-2237).
  • modulation of gene expression by siRNA molecules of the invention can result from siRNA mediated cleavage of RNA (either coding or non-coding RNA) via RISC, or alternately, translational inhibition as is known in the art.
  • modulation of gene expression by siRNA molecules of the invention can result from transcriptional inhibition (see for example Janowski et al., 2005, Nature Chemical Biology, 1 , 216-222).
  • siRNAs small interfering RNAs
  • miRNAs microRNAs
  • dsRNA double-stranded RNA precursors by Dicer, a nuclease of the RNase III family of dsRNA-specific endonucleases (Bernstein et al., (2001 ). Nature 409, 363-366; Billy, E., et al. (2001 ).
  • siRNAs result when transposons, viruses or endogenous genes express long dsRNA or when dsRNA is introduced experimentally into plant or animal cells to trigger gene silencing, also called RNA interference (RNAi) (Fire et al., 1998; Hamilton and Baulcombe, 1999; Zamore et al., 2000; Elbashir et al., 2001 a; Hammond et al., 2001 ; Sijen et al., 2001 ; Catalanotto et al., 2002).
  • RNAi RNA interference
  • miRNAs are the products of endogenous, non-coding genes whose precursor RNA transcripts can form small stem-loops from which mature miRNAs are cleaved by Dicer (Lagos- Quintana et al., 2001 ; Lau et al., 2001 ; Lee and Ambros, 2001 ; Lagos-Quintana et al., 2002; Mourelatos et al., 2002; Reinhart et al., 2002; Ambros et al., 2003; Brennecke et al., 2003; Lagos-Quintana et al., 2003; Lim et al., 2003a; Lim et al., 2003b).
  • miRNAs are encoded by genes distinct from the mRNAs whose expression they control. siRNAs were first identified as the specificity determinants of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway (Hamilton and Baulcombe, 1999; Hammond et al., 2000), where they act as guides to direct endonucleolytic cleavage of their target RNAs (Zamore et al., 2000; Elbashir et al., 2001 a).
  • RNAi RNA interference
  • Prototypical siRNA duplexes are 21 nt, double-stranded RNAs that contain 19 base pairs, with two- nucleotide, 3' overhanging ends (Elbashir et al., 2001 a; Nyknen et al., 2001 ; Tang etal., 2003).
  • Active siRNAs contain 5' phosphates and 3' hydroxyls (Zamore etal., 2000; Boutla et al., 2001 ; Nyknen et al., 2001 ; Chiu and Rana, 2002).
  • miRNAs contain 5' phosphate and 3' hydroxyl groups, reflecting their production by Dicer (Hutvgner et al., 2001 ; Mallory et al., 2002)
  • the present invention is directed in part to the discovery of short RNA polynucleotide sequences that are capable of specifically modulating expression of a target A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide, such as encoded by the sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 133, 322 and 541 , respectively, or a variant thereof.
  • Illustrative siRNA polynucleotide sequences that specifically modulate the expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf are provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540.
  • RNA polynucleotides of the present invention specifically reduce expression of a desired target polypeptide through recruitment of small interfering RNA (siRNA) mechanisms.
  • siRNA small interfering RNA
  • compositions and methods that relate to the identification of certain specific RNAi oligonucleotide sequences of 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 or 27 nucleotides that can be derived from corresponding polynucleotide sequences encoding the desired A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf target polypeptide.
  • the siRNA polynucleotides interfere with expression of a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf target polypeptide or a variant thereof, and comprises a RNA oligonucleotide or RNA polynucleotide uniquely corresponding in its nucleotide base sequence to the sequence of a portion of a target polynucleotide encoding the target polypeptide, for instance, a target mRNA sequence or an exonic sequence encoding such mRNA.
  • the invention relates in certain embodiments to siRNA polynucleotides that interfere with expression (sometimes referred to as silencing) of specific polypeptides in mammals, which in certain embodiments are humans and in certain other embodiments are non-human mammals.
  • the siRNA polynucleotides of the present invention direct sequence-specific degradation of mRNA encoding a desired target polypeptide, such as A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf .
  • the term "siRNA” means either: (i) a double stranded RNA oligonucleotide, or polynucleotide, that is 14 base pairs, 15 base pairs, 16 base pairs, 17 base pairs, 18 base pairs, 19 base pairs, 20 base pairs, 21 base pairs, 22 base pairs, 23 base pairs, 24 base pairs, 25 base pairs, 26 base pairs, 27 base pairs, 28 base pairs, 29 base pairs or 30 base pairs in length and that is capable of interfering with expression and activity of a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide, or a variant of the A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide, wherein a single strand of the siRNA comprises a portion of a RNA polynucleotide sequence that encodes the A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide, its variant, or a complementary sequence thereto; (ii)
  • a siRNA polynucleotide is a RNA nucleic acid molecule that mediates the effect of RNA interference, a post-transcriptional gene silencing mechanism.
  • a siRNA polynucleotide comprises a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) but is not intended to be so limited and may comprise a single-stranded RNA (see, e.g., Martinez et al. Cell 110:563-74 (2002)).
  • a siRNA polynucleotide may comprise other naturally occurring, recombinant, or synthetic single-stranded or double-stranded polymers of nucleotides (ribonucleotides or deoxyribonucleotides or a combination of both) and/or nucleotide analogues as provided herein ⁇ e.g., an oligonucleotide or polynucleotide or the like, typically in 5' to 3' phosphodiester linkage).
  • siRNA polynucleotides are also intended to describe the corresponding RNA sequences and their complements, given the well established principles of complementary nucleotide base-pairing.
  • a siRNA may be transcribed using as a template a DNA (genomic, cDNA, or synthetic) that contains a RNA polymerase promoter, for example, a U6 promoter or the H1 RNA polymerase III promoter, or the siRNA may be a synthetically derived RNA molecule.
  • siRNA polynucleotide may have blunt ends, that is, each nucleotide in one strand of the duplex is perfectly complementary (e.g., by Watson-Crick base-pairing) with a nucleotide of the opposite strand.
  • at least one strand of the subject invention siRNA polynucleotide has at least one, and in certain embodiments, two nucleotides that "overhang" (i.e., that do not base pair with a complementary base in the opposing strand) at the 3' end of either strand, or in certain embodiments, both strands, of the siRNA polynucleotide.
  • each strand of the siRNA polynucleotide duplex has a two-nucleotide overhang at the 3' end.
  • the two-nucleotide overhang may be a thymidine dinucleotide (TT) but may also comprise other bases, for example, a TC dinucleotide or a TG dinucleotide, or any other dinucleotide.
  • TT thymidine dinucleotide
  • TC dinucleotide a TC dinucleotide or a TG dinucleotide, or any other dinucleotide.
  • siRNA polynucleotides see, e.g., WO 01/75164.
  • Certain illustrative siRNA polynucleotides comprise double- stranded oligomeric nucleotides of about 14-30 nucleotide base pairs.
  • the siRNA molecules of the invention comprise about 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, or 27 base pairs, and in other particular embodiments about 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25 base pairs, or about 27 base pairs, whereby the use of "about” indicates, as described above, that in certain embodiments and under certain conditions the processive cleavage steps that may give rise to functional siRNA polynucleotides that are capable of interfering with expression of a selected polypeptide may not be absolutely efficient.
  • siRNA polynucleotides for instance, of "about” 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, or 25 base pairs may include one or more siRNA polynucleotide molecules that may differ (e.g., by nucleotide insertion or deletion) in length by one, two, three or four base pairs, by way of non-limiting theory as a consequence of variability in processing, in biosynthesis, or in artificial synthesis.
  • the contemplated siRNA polynucleotides of the present invention may also comprise a polynucleotide sequence that exhibits variability by differing ⁇ e.g., by nucleotide substitution, including transition or transversion) at one, two, three or four nucleotides from a particular sequence, the differences occurring at any of positions 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 of a particular siRNA polynucleotide sequence, or at positions 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, or 27 of siRNA polynucleotides depending on the length of the molecule, whether situated in a sense or in an antisense strand of the double-stranded polynucleotide.
  • the nucleotide substitution may be found only in one strand, by way of example in the antisense strand, of a double-stranded polynucleotide, and the complementary nucleotide with which the substitute nucleotide would typically form hydrogen bond base pairing may not necessarily be correspondingly substituted in the sense strand.
  • the siRNA polynucleotides are homogeneous with respect to a specific nucleotide sequence. As described herein, the siRNA polynucleotides interfere with expression of a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide. These polynucleotides may also find uses as probes or primers.
  • the efficacy and specificity of gene/protein silencing by the siRNA nucleic acids of the present invention may be enhanced using the methods described in US Patent Application Publications 2005/0186586, 2005/0181382, 2005/0037988, and 2006/0134787.
  • the RNA silencing may be enhanced by lessening the base pair strength between the 5' end of the first strand and the 3' end of a second strand of the duplex as compared to the base pair strength between the 3' end of the first strand and the 5' end of the second strand.
  • the RNA duplex may comprise at least one blunt end and may comprise two blunt ends.
  • the duplex comprises at least one overhang and may comprise two overhangs.
  • the ability of the siRNA molecule to silence a target gene is enhanced by enhancing the ability of a first strand of a RNAi agent to act as a guide strand in mediating RNAi. This is achieved by lessening the base pair strength between the 5' end of the first strand and the 3' end of a second strand of the duplex as compared to the base pair strength between the 3' end of the first strand and the 5' end of the second strand.
  • the efficacy of the siRNA molecule to silence a target gene is enhanced by enhancing the recycling of the guide strand siRNA from the RISC. This is achieved by lessening the base pair strength between the guide strand and its target mRNA by introducing a wobble basepairing at the the 3' end of the guide strand of siRNA.
  • the efficacy of a siRNA duplex is enhanced by lessening the base pair strength between the antisense strand 5' end (AS 5') and the sense strand 3' end (S 3') as compared to the base pair strength between the antisense strand 3' end (AS 3') and the sense strand 5' end (S '5), such that efficacy is enhanced.
  • an siRNA molecule of the invention may consist of a sense region and an antisense region, wherein the sense region and the antisense region together form a duplex region consisting of 19-30 base pairs and the antisense region comprises a sequence that is the complement of any one of the sense polynucleotide sequences as set forth herein, such as the sense polynucleotides as described in the Examples and provided in certain of SEQ ID NOs: 45-132, 198-321 and 397-540; and from zero to four overhang regions, wherein each overhang region is six or fewer nucleotides in length.
  • the antisense region and the sense region may each be 19-25 nucleotides in length.
  • the antisense region is 100% complementary to a region of a target mRNA, such as the target sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 133, 322 and 541.
  • a target mRNA such as the target sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs: 133, 322 and 541.
  • Illustrative target sequences specifically targeted by the siRNA of the invention are provided in SEQ ID NOs: 1 -44, 136-197 or 325-396.
  • the siRNA molecule of the present invention comprises a chemically synthesized double stranded siRNA molecule that directs cleavage of an mRNA via RNA interference, wherein: each strand of said double stranded siRNA molecule is between 14 and 30 nucleotides in length; and b. one strand of said double stranded siRNA molecule comprises a sequence that is the complement of any one of the sense strand polynucleotides provided in SEQ ID NOs: 45-132, 198-321 and 397-540 (for sense strand polynucleotides among these SEQ ID NOs, see the Examples).
  • an siRNA molecule of the invention consists of: (a) a sense region, wherein said sense region consists of a sense sequence that is selected from the polynucleotides provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540, and an antisense region, wherein said antisense region consists of a sequence that is the complement of the sense sequence selected from the polynucleotides provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540; and (b) from zero to four overhang regions, wherein each overhang region is six or fewer nucleotides in length.
  • modifications can be made to the siRNA molecules of the invention in order to promote entry of a desired strand of an siRNA duplex into a RISC complex. This is achieved by enhancing the asymmetry of the siRNA duplex, such that entry of the desired strand is promoted. In this regard, the asymmetry is enhanced by lessening the base pair strength between the 5' end of the desired strand and the 3' end of a complementary strand of the duplex as compared to the base pair strength between the 3' end of the desired strand and the 5' end of the complementary strand.
  • the base-pair strength is less due to fewer G:C base pairs between the 5' end of the first or antisense strand and the 3' end of the second or sense strand than between the 3' end of the first or antisense strand and the 5' end of the second or sense strand.
  • the base pair strength is less due to at least one mismatched base pair between the 5' end of the first or antisense strand and the 3' end of the second or sense strand.
  • the mismatched base pairs include but are not limited to G:A, C:A, C:U, G:G, A:A, C:C, U:U, C:T, and U:T.
  • the base pair strength is less due to at least one wobble base pair between the 5' end of the first or antisense strand and the 3' end of the second or sense strand.
  • the wobble base pair may be G:U. or G:T.
  • the base pair strength is less due to: (a) at least one mismatched base pair between the 5' end of the first or antisense strand and the 3' end of the second or sense strand; and (b) at least one wobble base pair between the 5' end of the first or antisense strand and the 3' end of the second or sense strand.
  • the mismatched base pair may be selected from the group consisting of G:A, C:A, C:U, G:G, A:A, C:C and U:U.
  • the mismatched base pair is selected from the group consisting of G:A, C:A, C:T, G:G, A:A, C:C and U:T.
  • the wobble base pair is G:U or G:T.
  • the base pair strength is less due to at least one base pair comprising a rare nucleotide such as inosine, 1 -methyl inosine, pseudouridine, 5,6-dihydrouridine, ribothymidine, 2N-methylguanosine and 2,2N,N-dimethylguanosine; or a modified nucleotide, such as 2-amino-G, 2-amino-A, 2,6-diamino-G, and 2,6-diamino-A.
  • a rare nucleotide such as inosine, 1 -methyl inosine, pseudouridine, 5,6-dihydrouridine, ribothymidine, 2N-methylguanosine and 2,2N,N-dimethylguanosine
  • a modified nucleotide such as 2-amino-G, 2-amino-A, 2,6-diamino-G,
  • the term "antisense strand" of an siRNA or RNAi agent refers to a strand that is substantially complementary to a section of about 10-50 nucleotides, e.g., about 15-30, 16-25, 18-23 or 19-22 nucleotides of the mRNA of the gene targeted for silencing.
  • the antisense strand or first strand has sequence sufficiently complementary to the desired target mRNA sequence to direct target-specific RNA interference (RNAi), e.g., complementarity sufficient to trigger the destruction of the desired target mRNA by the RNAi machinery or process.
  • RNAi target-specific RNA interference
  • sense strand or “second strand” of an siRNA or RNAi agent refers to a strand that is complementary to the antisense strand or first strand.
  • Antisense and sense strands can also be referred to as first or second strands, the first or second strand having complementarity to the target sequence and the respective second or first strand having complementarity to said first or second strand.
  • guide strand refers to a strand of an RNAi agent, e.g., an antisense strand of an siRNA duplex, that enters into the RISC complex and directs cleavage of the target mRNA.
  • siRNA molecules of the invention complete complementarity of the siRNA molecules of the invention with their target gene is not necessary in order for effective silencing to occur.
  • three or four mismatches between a guide strand of an siRNA duplex and its target RNA, properly placed so as to still permit mRNA cleavage facilitates the release of cleaved target RNA from the RISC complex, thereby increasing the rate of enzyme turnover.
  • the efficiency of cleavage is greater when a G:U base pair, referred to also as a G:U wobble, is present near the 5' or 3' end of the complex formed between the siRNA and the target.
  • at least one terminal nucleotide of the RNA molecules described herein can be substituted with a nucleotide that does not form a Watson-Crick base pair with the corresponding nucleotide in a target mRNA.
  • Polynucleotides that are siRNA polynucleotides of the present invention may in certain embodiments be derived from a single-stranded polynucleotide that comprises a single-stranded oligonucleotide fragment ⁇ e.g., of about 18-30 nucleotides, which should be understood to include any whole integer of nucleotides including and between 18 and 30) and its reverse complement, typically separated by a spacer sequence.
  • cleavage of the spacer provides the single-stranded oligonucleotide fragment and its reverse complement, such that they may anneal to form (optionally with additional processing steps that may result in addition or removal of one, two, three or more nucleotides from the 3' end and/or the 5' end of either or both strands) the double-stranded siRNA polynucleotide of the present invention.
  • the spacer is of a length that permits the fragment and its reverse complement to anneal and form a double-stranded structure ⁇ e.g., like a hairpin polynucleotide) prior to cleavage of the spacer (and, optionally, subsequent processing steps that may result in addition or removal of one, two, three, four, or more nucleotides from the 3' end and/or the 5' end of either or both strands).
  • a spacer sequence may therefore be any polynucleotide sequence as provided herein that is situated between two complementary polynucleotide sequence regions which, when annealed into a double-stranded nucleic acid, comprise a siRNA polynucleotide.
  • a spacer sequence comprises at least 4 nucleotides, although in certain embodiments the spacer may comprise 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17, 18, 19, 20, 21 -25, 26-30, 31 -40, 41-50, 51 - 70, 71 -90, 91 -110, 111 -150, 151 -200 or more nucleotides.
  • siRNA polynucleotides derived from a single nucleotide strand comprising two complementary nucleotide sequences separated by a spacer have been described ⁇ e.g., Brummelkamp et al., 2002 Science 296:550; Paddison et al., 2002 Genes Develop. 16:948; Paul et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 20:505-508 (2002); Grabarek et al., BioTechniques 34:734-44 (2003)).
  • Polynucleotide variants may contain one or more substitutions, additions, deletions, and/or insertions such that the activity of the siRNA polynucleotide is not substantially diminished, as described above.
  • the effect on the activity of the siRNA polynucleotide may generally be assessed as described herein or using conventional methods.
  • variants exhibit at least about 75%, 78%, 80%, 85%, 87%, 88% or 89% identity and in particular embodiments, at least about 90%, 92%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identity to a portion of a polynucleotide sequence that encodes a native A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf .
  • the percent identity may be readily determined by comparing sequences of the polynucleotides to the corresponding portion of a full-length A-Raf, B-Raf, or C-Raf polynucleotide such as those known to the art and cited herein, using any method including using computer algorithms well known to those having ordinary skill in the art, such as Align or the BLAST algorithm (Altschul, J. MoI. Biol. 219:555-565, 1991 ; Henikoff and Henikoff, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • siRNA polynucleotide variants are substantially homologous to a portion of a native A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf gene.
  • Single- stranded nucleic acids derived ⁇ e.g., by thermal denaturation) from such polynucleotide variants are capable of hybridizing under moderately stringent conditions or stringent conditions to a naturally occurring DNA or RNA sequence encoding a native A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide (or a complementary sequence).
  • a polynucleotide that detectably hybridizes under moderately stringent conditions or stringent conditions may have a nucleotide sequence that includes at least 10 consecutive nucleotides, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30 consecutive nucleotides complementary to a particular polynucleotide.
  • such a sequence (or its complement) will be unique to a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide for which interference with expression is desired, and in certain other embodiments the sequence (or its complement) may be shared by A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf and one or more related polypeptides for which interference with polypeptide expression is desired.
  • Moderately stringent conditions include, for example, pre-washing in a solution of 5X SSC, 0.5% SDS, 1.0 mM EDTA (pH 8.0); hybridizing at 50 °C-70°C, 5X SSC for 1 -16 hours ⁇ e.g., overnight); followed by washing once or twice at 22-65 0 C for 20-40 minutes with one or more each of 2X, 0.5X and 0.2X SSC containing 0.05-0.1 % SDS.
  • conditions may include a wash in 0.1 X SSC and 0.1 % SDS at 50-60 0 C for 15-40 minutes.
  • Suitable conditions may also depend in part on the particular nucleotide sequences of the probe used, and of the blotted, proband nucleic acid sample. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that suitably stringent conditions can be readily selected without undue experimentation when a desired selectivity of the probe is identified, based on its ability to hybridize to one or more certain proband sequences while not hybridizing to certain other proband sequences.
  • Sequence specific siRNA polynucleotides of the present invention may be designed using one or more of several criteria. For example, to design a siRNA polynucleotide that has 19 consecutive nucleotides identical to a sequence encoding a polypeptide of interest (e.g., A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf and other polypeptides described herein), the open reading frame of the polynucleotide sequence may be scanned for 21 -base sequences that have one or more of the following characteristics: (1 ) an A+T/G+C ratio of approximately 1 :1 but no greater than 2:1 or 1 :2; (2) an AA dinucleotide or a CA dinucleotide at the 5' end; (3) an internal hairpin loop melting temperature less than 55 0 C; (4) a homodimer melting temperature of less than 37 0 C (melting temperature calculations as described in (3) and (4) can be determined using computer software known to those skilled in the art); (5)
  • an siRNA polynculeotide sequence may be designed and chosen using a computer software available commercially from various vendors (e.g., OligoEngineTM (Seattle, WA); Dharmacon, Inc. (Lafayette, CO); Ambion Inc. (Austin, TX); and QIAGEN, Inc. (Valencia, CA)).
  • OligoEngineTM Seattle, WA
  • Dharmacon, Inc. Lafayette, CO
  • Ambion Inc. Austin, TX
  • QIAGEN, Inc. Valencia, CA
  • the siRNA polynucleotides may then be tested for their ability to interfere with the expression of the target polypeptide according to methods known in the art and described herein.
  • the determination of the effectiveness of an siRNA polynucleotide includes not only consideration of its ability to interfere with polypeptide expression but also includes consideration of whether the siRNA polynucleotide manifests undesirably toxic effects, for example, apoptosis of a cell for which cell death is not a desired effect of RNA interference ⁇ e.g., interference of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf expression in a cell).
  • the nucleic acid inhibitors comprise sequences which are complementary to any known A-Raf sequence, including variants thereof that have altered expression and/or activity, particularly variants associated with disease.
  • Variants of A-Raf include sequences having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91 %, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or higher sequence identity to the wild type A-Raf sequences, such as the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NOs:133 where such variants of A-Raf may demonstrate altered (increased or decreased) serine/threonine kinase activity.
  • the nucleic acid inhibitors ⁇ e.g., siRNA) of the invention comprise sequences complimentary to the specific A-Raf target sequence provided in SEQ ID NO:133, or a polynucleotide encoding the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs:135;
  • Illustrative target sequences of A-Raf specifically targeted by the siRNA of the invention are provided in SEQ ID NOs:1 -44. Examples of such siRNA molecules also are shown in the Examples and provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132.
  • the nucleic acid inhibitors comprise sequences which are complementary to any known B-Raf sequence, including variants thereof that have altered expression and/or activity, particularly variants associated with disease.
  • Variants of B-Raf include sequences having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91 %, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or higher sequence identity to the wild type B-Raf sequences, such as the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:322 where such variants of B-Raf may demonstrate altered (increased or decreased) serine/threonine kinase activity.
  • the nucleic acid inhibitors (e.g., siRNA) of the invention comprise sequences complimentary to the specific B-Raf target sequence provided in SEQ ID NOs:322, or polynucleotides encoding the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs:324;
  • Illustrative target sequences specifically targeted by the siRNA of the invention are provided in SEQ ID NOs:136-197. Examples of such siRNA molecules also are shown in the Examples and provided in SEQ ID NOs:198-321.
  • the nucleic acid inhibitors comprise sequences which are complementary to any known C-Raf sequence, including variants thereof that have altered expression and/or activity, particularly variants associated with disease.
  • Variants of C-Raf include sequences having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91 %, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or higher sequence identity to the wild type C-Raf sequences, such as the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:541 where such variants of C-Raf may demonstrate altered (increased or decreased) serine/threonine activity.
  • the nucleic acid inhibitors ⁇ e.g., siRNA) of the invention comprise sequences complimentary to the specific C-Raf target sequence provided in SEQ ID NO:541 , or polynucleotides encoding the amino acid sequences provided in SEQ ID NOs:543;
  • Illustrative target sequences specifically targeted by the siRNA of the invention are provided in SEQ ID NOs:325-396. Examples of such siRNA molecules also are shown in the Examples and provided in SEQ ID NOs:397-540.
  • Polynucleotides including target polynucleotides (e.g., polynucleotides capable of encoding a target polypeptide of interest), may be prepared using any of a variety of techniques, which will be useful for the preparation of specifically desired siRNA polynucleotides and for the identification and selection of desirable sequences to be used in siRNA polynucleotides.
  • a polynucleotide may be amplified from cDNA prepared from a suitable cell or tissue type.
  • Such polynucleotides may be amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  • PCR polymerase chain reaction
  • sequence- specific primers may be designed based on the sequences provided herein and may be purchased or synthesized.
  • An amplified portion may be used to isolate a full-length gene, or a desired portion thereof, from a suitable library using well known techniques.
  • a library cDNA or genomic
  • a library is screened using one or more polynucleotide probes or primers suitable for amplification.
  • a library is size-selected to include larger molecules. Random primed libraries may also be preferred for identifying 5' and upstream regions of genes. Genomic libraries are preferred for obtaining introns and extending 5' sequences. Suitable sequences for a siRNA polynucleotide contemplated by the present invention may also be selected from a library of siRNA polynucleotide sequences.
  • a partial sequence may be labeled (e.g., by nick-translation or end-labeling with 32 P) using well known techniques.
  • a bacterial or bacteriophage library may then be screened by hybridizing filters containing denatured bacterial colonies (or lawns containing phage plaques) with the labeled probe (see, e.g., Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 2001 ). Hybridizing colonies or plaques are selected and expanded, and the DNA is isolated for further analysis.
  • Clones may be analyzed to determine the amount of additional sequence by, for example, PCR using a primer from the partial sequence and a primer from the vector. Restriction maps and partial sequences may be generated to identify one or more overlapping clones.
  • a full-length cDNA molecule can be generated by ligating suitable fragments, using well known techniques.
  • amplification techniques are known in the art for obtaining a full-length coding sequence from a partial cDNA sequence.
  • amplification is generally performed via PCR.
  • One such technique is known as "rapid amplification of cDNA ends" or RACE.
  • RACE Rapid amplification of cDNA ends
  • This technique involves the use of an internal primer and an external primer, which hybridizes to a polyA region or vector sequence, to identify sequences that are 5' and 3' of a known sequence.
  • Any of a variety of commercially available kits may be used to perform the amplification step.
  • Primers may be designed using, for example, software well known in the art.
  • Primers are generally 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 or 32 nucleotides in length, have a GC content of at least 40% and anneal to the target sequence at temperatures of about 54 0 C to 72 0 C.
  • the amplified region may be sequenced as described above, and overlapping sequences assembled into a contiguous sequence.
  • oligonucleotides contemplated by the present invention may, for some embodiments, have lengths of 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 , 32, 33-35, 35-40, 41 -45, 46-50, 56-60, 61 -70, 71 -80, 81 -90 or more nucleotides.
  • polypeptides and polynucleotides as described herein are isolated.
  • An "isolated" polypeptide or polynucleotide is one that is removed from its original environment.
  • a naturally occurring protein is isolated if it is separated from some or all of the coexisting materials in the natural system.
  • such polypeptides are at least about 90% pure, at least about 95% pure and in certain embodiments, at least about 99% pure.
  • a polynucleotide is considered to be isolated if, for example, it is cloned into a vector that is not a part of the natural environment.
  • siRNA polynucleotide sequences useful for interfering with A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide expression are described herein in the Examples and are provided in the Sequence Listing.
  • SiRNA polynucleotides may generally be prepared by any method known in the art, including, for example, solid phase chemical synthesis. Modifications in a polynucleotide sequence may also be introduced using standard mutagenesis techniques, such as oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis. Further, siRNAs may be chemically modified or conjugated to improve their serum stability and/or delivery properties as described further herein.
  • siRNA polynucleotide molecules may be generated by in vitro or in vivo transcription of suitable DNA sequences ⁇ e.g., polynucleotide sequences encoding a PTP, or a desired portion thereof), provided that the DNA is incorporated into a vector with a suitable RNA polymerase promoter (such as T7, U6, H1 , or SP6).
  • suitable RNA polymerase promoter such as T7, U6, H1 , or SP6
  • a siRNA polynucleotide may be administered to a patient, as may be a DNA sequence (e.g., a recombinant nucleic acid construct as provided herein) that supports transcription (and optionally appropriate processing steps) such that a desired siRNA is generated in vivo.
  • a DNA sequence e.g., a recombinant nucleic acid construct as provided herein
  • transcription and optionally appropriate processing steps
  • siRNA polynucleotides exhibit desirable stability characteristics and may, but need not, be further designed to resist degradation by endogenous nucleolytic enzymes by using such linkages as phosphorothioate, methylphosphonate, sulfone, sulfate, ketyl, phosphorodithioate, phosphoramidate, phosphate esters, and other such linkages (see, e.g., Agrwal et al., Tetrahedron Lett. 28:3539-3542 (1987); Miller et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 93:6657-6665 (1971 ); Stec et al., Tetrahedron Lett.
  • linkages as phosphorothioate, methylphosphonate, sulfone, sulfate, ketyl, phosphorodithioate, phosphoramidate, phosphate esters, and other such linkages
  • Any polynucleotide of the invention may be further modified to increase stability or reduce cytokine production in vivo. Possible modifications include, but are not limited to, the addition of flanking sequences at the 5' and/or 3' ends; the use of phosphorothioate or 2' O-methyl rather than phosphodiester linkages in the backbone; and/or the inclusion of nontraditional bases such as inosine, queosine, and wybutosine and the like, as well as acetyl- methyl-, thio- and other modified forms of adenine, cytidine, guanine, thymine, and uridine. See for example Molecular Therapy, Vol. 15, no.
  • polynucleotide variants may be modified such that the activity of the siRNA polynucleotide is not substantially diminished, as described above.
  • the effect on the activity of the siRNA polynucleotide may generally be assessed as described herein or using conventional methods.
  • vectors mean any nucleic acid- and/or viral-based technique used to deliver a desired nucleic acid.
  • subject is meant an organism which is a recipient of the nucleic acid molecules of the invention.
  • Subject also refers to an organism to which the nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be administered.
  • a subject is a mammal or mammalian cells.
  • a subject is a human or human cells.
  • Subjects of the present invention include, but are not limited to mice, rats, pigs, and non-human primates.
  • Nucleic acids can be synthesized using protocols known in the art as described in Caruthers et al., 1992, Methods in Enzymology 211 , 3-19; Thompson et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 99/54459; Wincott et al., 1995, Nucleic Acids Res. 23, 2677-2684; Wincott et al., 1997, Methods MoI. Bio., 74, 59-68; Brennan et al., 1998, Biotechnol Bioeng., 61 , 33-45; and Brennan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,001 ,311 ).
  • nucleic acids makes use of common nucleic acid protecting and coupling groups, such as dimethoxytrityl at the 5 ' -end, and phosphoramidites at the 3 ' -end.
  • small scale syntheses are conducted on a 394 Applied Biosystems, Inc. synthesizer using a 0.2 ⁇ M scale protocol with a 2.5 min coupling step for 2 -O- methylated nucleotides and a 45 second coupling step for 2 ' -deoxy nucleotides.
  • syntheses at the 0.2 ⁇ M scale can be performed on a 96-well plate synthesizer, such as the instrument produced by Protogene (Palo Alto, Calif.) with minimal modification to the cycle.
  • synthesizer include; detritylation solution is 3% TCA in methylene chloride (ABI); capping is performed with 16% N-methylimidazole in THF (ABI) and 10% acetic anhydride/10% 2,6-lutidine in THF (ABI); and oxidation solution is 16.9 mM I 2 , 49 mM pyridine, 9% water in THF. Burdick & Jackson Synthesis Grade acetonitrile is used directly from the reagent bottle. S-Ethyltetrazole solution (0.25 M in acetonitrile) is made up from the solid obtained from American International Chemical, Inc. Alternately, for the introduction of phosphorothioate linkages, Beaucage reagent (3H-1 ,2-Benzodithiol-3-one 1 ,1 - dioxide, 0.05 M in acetonitrile) is used.
  • nucleotide is meant a heterocyclic nitrogenous base in N- glycosidic linkage with a phosphorylated sugar.
  • Nucleotides are recognized in the art to include natural bases (standard), and modified bases well known in the art. Such bases are generally located at the 1 ' position of a nucleotide sugar moiety. Nucleotides generally comprise a base, sugar and a phosphate group.
  • the nucleotides can be unmodified or modified at the sugar, phosphate and/or base moiety, (also referred to interchangeably as nucleotide analogs, modified nucleotides, non-natural nucleotides, non-standard nucleotides and other (see for example, Usman and McSwiggen, supra; Eckstein et ai, International PCT Publication No. WO 92/07065; Usman et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 93/15187; Uhlman & Peyman, supra).
  • modified nucleic acid bases known in the art as summarized by Limbach et al., (1994, Nucleic Acids Res. 22, 2183-2196).
  • Exemplary chemically modified and other natural nucleic acid bases that can be introduced into nucleic acids include, for example, inosine, purine, pyhdin-4-one, pyridin-2-one, phenyl, pseudouracil, 2,4,6-trimethoxy benzene, 3-methyl uracil, dihydrouridine, naphthyl, aminophenyl, 5- alkylcytidines ⁇ e.g., 5-methylcytidine), 5-alkyluridines ⁇ e.g., ribothymidine), 5- halouridine ⁇ e.g., 5-bromouridine) or 6-azapyhmidines or 6-alkylpyrimidines ⁇ e.g.
  • 6-methyluhdine propyne, quesosine, 2-thiouridine, 4-thiouridine, wybutosine, wybutoxosine, 4-acetyltidine, 5-(carboxyhydroxymethyl)uridine, 5 ' - carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluridine, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, 1 -methyladenosine, 1 -methylinosine, 2,2- dimethylguanosine, 3-methylcytidine, 2-methyladenosine, 2-methylguanosine, N6-methyladenosine, 7-methylguanosine, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-methylaminonnethyluridine, 5-methylcarbonyhnethyluridine, 5- methyloxyuridine, 5-methyl-2-thiouridine, 2-methylthio-N6- isopentenyladenosine, beta-D-mannosylqueo
  • modified bases in this aspect is meant nucleotide bases other than adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil at 1 ' position or their equivalents; such bases can be used at any position, for example, within the catalytic core of an enzymatic nucleic acid molecule and/or in the substrate-binding regions of the nucleic acid molecule.
  • nucleoside is meant a heterocyclic nitrogenous base in N- glycosidic linkage with a sugar.
  • Nucleosides are recognized in the art to include natural bases (standard), and modified bases well known in the art. Such bases are generally located at the 1 ' position of a nucleoside sugar moiety.
  • Nucleosides generally comprise a base and sugar group.
  • the nucleosides can be unmodified or modified at the sugar, and/or base moiety, (also referred to interchangeably as nucleoside analogs, modified nucleosides, non-natural nucleosides, non-standard nucleosides and other ( see for example, Usman and McSwiggen, supra; Eckstein et al., International PCT Publication No.
  • Exemplary chemically modified and other natural nucleic acid bases that can be introduced into nucleic acids include, inosine, purine, pyridin-4-one, pyhdin-2-one, phenyl, pseudouracil, 2,4,6- trimethoxy benzene, 3-methyl uracil, dihydrouhdine, naphthyl, aminophenyl, 5- alkylcytidines ⁇ e.g., 5-methylcytidine), 5-alkyluridines ⁇ e.g., ribothymidine), 5- halouridine (e.g., 5-bromouridine) or 6-azapyrimidines or 6-alkylpyrimidines [e.g., 6-methyluridine), propyne, quesosine, 2-thiouridine, 4-thiouridine, wybutosine, wybutoxosine, 4-acetylcytidine, 5-(carboxyhydroxymethyl)uridine, ⁇ ' -carbox
  • modified bases in this aspect is meant nucleoside bases other than adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil at 1 ' position or their equivalents; such bases can be used at any position, for example, within the catalytic core of an enzymatic nucleic acid molecule and/or in the substrate-binding regions of the nucleic acid molecule.
  • Nucleotide sequences as described herein may be joined to a variety of other nucleotide sequences using established recombinant DNA techniques.
  • a polynucleotide may be cloned into any of a variety of cloning vectors, including plasmids, phagemids, lambda phage derivatives, and cosmids.
  • Vectors of particular interest include expression vectors, replication vectors, probe generation vectors, and sequencing vectors.
  • a suitable vector contains an origin of replication functional in at least one organism, convenient restriction endonuclease sites, and one or more selectable markers. (See, e.g., WO 01/96584; WO 01/29058; U.S. Pat. No.
  • the invention contemplates the use of siRNA polynucleotide sequences in the preparation of recombinant nucleic acid constructs including vectors for interfering with the expression of a desired target polypeptide such as a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide in vivo; the invention also contemplates the generation of siRNA transgenic or "knock-out" animals and cells ⁇ e.g., cells, cell clones, lines or lineages, or organisms in which expression of one or more desired polypeptides (e.g., a target polypeptide) is fully or partially compromised).
  • a desired target polypeptide such as a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf polypeptide in vivo
  • siRNA transgenic or "knock-out" animals and cells ⁇ e.g., cells, cell clones, lines or lineages, or organisms in which expression of one or more desired polypeptides (e.g
  • siRNA polynucleotide that is capable of interfering with expression of a desired polypeptide thus includes any siRNA polynucleotide that, when contacted with a subject or biological source as provided herein under conditions and for a time sufficient for target polypeptide expression to take place in the absence of the siRNA polynucleotide, results in a statistically significant decrease (alternatively referred to as "knockdown" of expression) in the level of target polypeptide expression that can be detected.
  • the decrease is greater than 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% or 98% relative to the expression level of the polypeptide detected in the absence of the siRNA, using conventional methods for determining polypeptide expression as known to the art and provided herein.
  • the presence of the siRNA polynucleotide in a cell does not result in or cause any undesired toxic effects, for example, apoptosis or death of a cell in which apoptosis is not a desired effect of RNA interference.
  • the present invention also relates to vectors and to constructs that include or encode siRNA polynucleotides of the present invention, and in particular to "recombinant nucleic acid constructs" that include any nucleic acids that may be transcribed to yield target polynucleotide-specific siRNA polynucleotides (i.e., siRNA specific for a polynucleotide that encodes a target polypeptide, such as a mRNA) according to the invention as provided above; to host cells which are genetically engineered with vectors and/or constructs of the invention and to the production of siRNA polynucleotides, polypeptides, and/or fusion proteins of the invention, or fragments or variants thereof, by recombinant techniques.
  • target polynucleotide-specific siRNA polynucleotides i.e., siRNA specific for a polynucleotide that encodes a target polypeptide, such as a mRNA
  • RNA polynucleotides may be engineered to produce corresponding DNA sequences using well established methodologies such as those described herein.
  • a DNA polynucleotide may be generated from any siRNA sequence described herein (including in the Sequence Listing), such that the present siRNA sequences will be recognized as also providing corresponding DNA polynucleotides (and their complements).
  • These DNA polynucleotides are therefore encompassed within the contemplated invention, for example, to be incorporated into the subject invention recombinant nucleic acid constructs from which siRNA may be transcribed.
  • a vector may comprise a recombinant nucleic acid construct containing one or more promoters for transcription of an RNA molecule, for example, the human U6 snRNA promoter (see, e.g., Miyagishi et al, Nat. Biotechnol. 20:497-500 (2002); Lee et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 20:500-505 (2002); Paul et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 20:505-508 (2002); Grabarek et al., BioTechniques 34:73544 (2003); see also Sui et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:5515-20 (2002)).
  • the human U6 snRNA promoter see, e.g., Miyagishi et al, Nat. Biotechnol. 20:497-500 (2002); Lee et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 20:500-505 (2002); Paul et
  • Each strand of a siRNA polynucleotide may be transcribed separately each under the direction of a separate promoter and then may hybridize within the cell to form the siRNA polynucleotide duplex.
  • Each strand may also be transcribed from separate vectors (see Lee et ai, supra).
  • the sense and antisense sequences specific for a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf sequence may be transcribed under the control of a single promoter such that the siRNA polynucleotide forms a hairpin molecule (Paul et ai, supra).
  • the complementary strands of the siRNA specific sequences are separated by a spacer that comprises at least four nucleotides, but may comprise at least 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 14, 16, 94 18 nucleotides or more nucleotides as described herein.
  • siRNAs transcribed under the control of a U6 promoter that form a hairpin may have a stretch of about four uridines at the 3' end that act as the transcription termination signal (Miyagishi et al., supra; Paul et al., supra).
  • the siRNA hairpin polynucleotide (beginning at the 5' end) has a 19-nucleotide sense sequence followed by a spacer (which as two uridine nucleotides adjacent to the 3' end of the 19-nucleotide sense sequence), and the spacer is linked to a 19 nucleotide antisense sequence followed by a 4-uridine terminator sequence, which results in an overhang.
  • SiRNA polynucleotides with such overhangs effectively interfere with expression of the target polypeptide (see id.).
  • a recombinant construct may also be prepared using another RNA polymerase III promoter, the H1 RNA promoter, that may be operatively linked to siRNA polynucleotide specific sequences, which may be used for transcription of hairpin structures comprising the siRNA specific sequences or separate transcription of each strand of a siRNA duplex polynucleotide (see, e.g., Brummelkamp et al., Science 296:550-53 (2002); Paddison et al., supra).
  • DNA vectors useful for insertion of sequences for transcription of an siRNA polynucleotide include pSUPER vector (see, e.g., Brummelkamp et al., supra); pAV vectors derived from pCWRSVN (see, e.g., Paul et al., supra); and plND (see, e.g., Lee et al., supra), or the like.
  • the nucleic acid molecules of the instant invention can be expressed within cells from eukaryotic promoters (e.g., Izant and Weintraub, 1985, Science, 229, 345-352; McGarry and Lindquist, 1986, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 83, 399-403; Scanlon et al., 1991 , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88, 10591 -10595; Kashani-Sabet et al., 1992, Antisense Res. Dev., 2, 3-15; Dropulic et al., 1992, J.
  • eukaryotic promoters e.g., Izant and Weintraub, 1985, Science, 229, 345-352; McGarry and Lindquist, 1986, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 83, 399-403
  • nucleic acids can be augmented by their release from the primary transcript by an enzymatic nucleic acid (Draper et al., PCT WO 93/23569, and Sullivan et al., PCT WO 94/02595; Ohkawa et al., 1992, Nucleic Acids Symp. Ser., 27, 15-16; Taira et al., 1991 , Nucleic Acids Res., 19, 5125-5130; Ventura et al., 1993, Nucleic Acids Res., 21 , 3249-3255; Chowrira et al., 1994, J. Biol. Chem., 269, 25856- 25864).
  • an enzymatic nucleic acid Draper et al., PCT WO 93/23569, and Sullivan et al., PCT 94/02595; Ohkawa et al., 1992, Nucleic Acids Symp. Ser., 27, 15-16; Taira
  • nucleic acid molecules of the present invention are expressed from transcription units (see for example Couture et al., 1996, TIG., 12, 510-515) inserted into DNA or RNA vectors.
  • the recombinant vectors are preferably DNA plasmids or viral vectors.
  • RNA expressing viral vectors can be constructed based on, but not limited to, adeno-associated virus, retrovirus, adenovirus, lentivirus, or alphavirus.
  • the recombinant vectors capable of expressing the nucleic acid molecules are delivered as described above, and persist in target cells.
  • viral vectors can be used that provide for transient expression of nucleic acid molecules.
  • nucleic acid molecule expressing vectors can be systemic, such as by intravenous or intramuscular administration, by administration to target cells ex-planted from the patient or subject followed by reintroduction into the patient or subject, or by any other means that would allow for introduction into the desired target cell (for a review see Couture et al., 1996, TIG., 12, 510-515).
  • the invention features an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one of the nucleic acid molecules of the instant invention is disclosed.
  • the nucleic acid sequence encoding the nucleic acid molecule of the instant invention is operably linked in a manner which allows expression of that nucleic acid molecule.
  • the invention features an expression vector comprising: a) a transcription initiation region (e.g., eukaryotic pol I, Il or III initiation region); b) a transcription termination region (e.g., eukaryotic pol I, Il or III termination region); c) a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one of the nucleic acid catalyst of the instant invention; and wherein said sequence is operably linked to said initiation region and said termination region, in a manner which allows expression and/or delivery of said nucleic acid molecule.
  • a transcription initiation region e.g., eukaryotic pol I, Il or III initiation region
  • a transcription termination region e.g., eukaryotic pol I, Il or III termination region
  • c) a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one of the nucleic acid catalyst of the instant invention and wherein said sequence is operably linked to said initiation region and said termination region, in a manner which allows expression and/or delivery of said nu
  • the vector can optionally include an open reading frame (ORF) for a protein operably linked on the 5 ' side or the 3 ' -side of the sequence encoding the nucleic acid catalyst of the invention; and/or an intron (intervening sequences).
  • ORF open reading frame
  • intron intervening sequences
  • Transcription of the nucleic acid molecule sequences may be driven from a promoter for eukaryotic RNA polymerase I (pol I), RNA polymerase Il (pol II), or RNA polymerase III (pol III).
  • RNA polymerase I eukaryotic RNA polymerase I
  • poly II RNA polymerase Il
  • poly III RNA polymerase III
  • Transcripts from pol Il or pol III promoters are expressed at high levels in all cells; the levels of a given pol Il promoter in a given cell type depends on the nature of the gene regulatory sequences (enhancers, silencers, etc.) present nearby.
  • Prokaryotic RNA polymerase promoters are also used, providing that the prokaryotic RNA polymerase enzyme is expressed in the appropriate cells (Elroy-Stein and Moss, 1990, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • nucleic acid molecules such as hbozymes expressed from such promoters can function in mammalian cells (e.g., Kashani-Sabet et a/., 1992, Antisense Res. Dev., 2, 3-15; Ojwang et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • transcription units such as the ones derived from genes encoding U6 small nuclear (snRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA) and adenovirus VA RNA are useful in generating high concentrations of desired RNA molecules such as ribozymes in cells (Thompson et al., supra; Couture and Stinchcomb, 1996, supra; Noonberg et al., 1994, Nucleic Acid Res., 22, 2830-2836; Noonberg et a/., U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,803; Good et al., 1997, Gene Then, 4, 45-54; Beigelman et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 96/18736).
  • ribozyme transcription units can be incorporated into a variety of vectors for introduction into mammalian cells, including but not restricted to, plasmid DNA vectors, viral DNA vectors (such as adenovirus or adeno-associated virus vectors), or viral RNA vectors (such as retroviral or alphavirus vectors) (for a review see Couture and Stinchcomb, 1996, supra).
  • plasmid DNA vectors such as adenovirus or adeno-associated virus vectors
  • viral RNA vectors such as retroviral or alphavirus vectors
  • the invention features an expression vector comprising nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one of the nucleic acid molecules of the invention, in a manner which allows expression of that nucleic acid molecule.
  • the expression vector comprises in one embodiment; a) a transcription initiation region; b) a transcription termination region; c) a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one said nucleic acid molecule; and wherein said sequence is operably linked to said initiation region and said termination region, in a manner which allows expression and/or delivery of said nucleic acid molecule.
  • the expression vector comprises: a) a transcription initiation region; b) a transcription termination region; c) an open reading frame; d) a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one said nucleic acid molecule, wherein said sequence is operably linked to the 3 ' -end of said open reading frame; and wherein said sequence is operably linked to said initiation region, said open reading frame and said termination region, in a manner which allows expression and/or delivery of said nucleic acid molecule.
  • the expression vector comprises: a) a transcription initiation region; b) a transcription termination region; c) an intron; d) a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one said nucleic acid molecule; and wherein said sequence is operably linked to said initiation region, said intron and said termination region, in a manner which allows expression and/or delivery of said nucleic acid molecule.
  • the expression vector comprises: a) a transcription initiation region; b) a transcription termination region; c) an intron; d) an open reading frame; e) a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one said nucleic acid molecule, wherein said sequence is operably linked to the 3 ' - end of said open reading frame; and wherein said sequence is operably linked to said initiation region, said intron, said open reading frame and said termination region, in a manner which allows expression and/or delivery of said nucleic acid molecule.
  • nucleic acids of the invention as described herein may be included in any one of a variety of expression vector constructs as a recombinant nucleic acid construct for expressing a target polynucleotide- specific siRNA polynucleotide.
  • Such vectors and constructs include chromosomal, nonchromosomal and synthetic DNA sequences, e.g., derivatives of SV40; bacterial plasmids; phage DNA; baculovirus; yeast plasmids; vectors derived from combinations of plasmids and phage DNA, viral DNA, such as vaccinia, adenovirus, fowl pox virus, and pseudorabies.
  • any other vector may be used for preparation of a recombinant nucleic acid construct as long as it is replicable and viable in the host.
  • the appropriate DNA sequence(s) may be inserted into the vector by a variety of procedures.
  • the DNA sequence is inserted into an appropriate restriction endonuclease site(s) by procedures known in the art.
  • Standard techniques for cloning, DNA isolation, amplification and purification, for enzymatic reactions involving DNA ligase, DNA polymerase, restriction endonucleases and the like, and various separation techniques are those known and commonly employed by those skilled in the art.
  • a number of standard techniques are described, for example, in Ausubel et al. (1993 Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Greene Publ. Assoc. Inc. & John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Boston, MA); Sambrook et al. (2001 Molecular Cloning, Third Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Plainview, NY); Maniatis et al. (1982 Molecular Cloning, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Plainview, NY); and elsewhere.
  • the DNA sequence in the expression vector is operatively linked to at least one appropriate expression control sequences (e.g., a promoter or a regulated promoter) to direct mRNA synthesis.
  • appropriate expression control sequences include LTR or SV40 promoter, the E. coli lac or trp, the phage lambda P L promoter and other promoters known to control expression of genes in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells or their viruses.
  • Promoter regions can be selected from any desired gene using CAT (chloramphenicol transferase) vectors or other vectors with selectable markers.
  • Two appropriate vectors are pKK232-8 and pCM7.
  • Particular named bacterial promoters include lad, lacZ, T3, T7, gpt, lambda P R , P L and trp.
  • Eukaryotic promoters include CMV immediate early, HSV thymidine kinase, early and late SV40, LTRs from retrovirus, and mouse metallothionein-l. Selection of the appropriate vector and promoter is well within the level of ordinary skill in the art, and preparation of certain particularly preferred recombinant expression constructs comprising at least one promoter or regulated promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide (e.g., PTP, MAP kinase kinase, or chemotherapeutic target polypeptide) is described herein.
  • a polypeptide e.g., PTP, MAP kinase kinase, or chemotherapeutic target polypeptide
  • the expressed recombinant siRNA polynucleotides may be useful in intact host cells; in intact organelles such as cell membranes, intracellular vesicles or other cellular organelles; or in disrupted cell preparations including but not limited to cell homogenates or lysates, microsomes, uni- and multilamellar membrane vesicles or other preparations.
  • expressed recombinant siRNA polynucleotides can be recovered and purified from recombinant cell cultures by methods including ammonium sulfate or ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and lectin chromatography. Finally, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can be employed for final purification steps.
  • HPLC high performance liquid chromatography
  • the siRNA polynucleotides are detectably labeled, and in certain embodiments the siRNA polynucleotide is capable of generating a radioactive or a fluorescent signal.
  • the siRNA polynucleotide can be detectably labeled by covalently or non-covalently attaching a suitable reporter molecule or moiety, for example a radionuclide such as 32 P (e.g., Pestka et al., 1999 Protein Expr. Purif. 17:203- 14), a radiohalogen such as iodine [ 125 I or 131 I] (e.g., Wilbur, 1992 Bioconjug. Chem.
  • tritium [ 3 H] an enzyme; or any of various luminescent (e.g., chemiluminescent) or fluorescent materials (e.g., a fluorophore) selected according to the particular fluorescence detection technique to be employed, as known in the art and based upon the present disclosure.
  • luminescent e.g., chemiluminescent
  • fluorescent materials e.g., a fluorophore
  • Fluorescent reporter moieties and methods for labeling siRNA polynucleotides and/or PTP substrates as provided herein can be found, for example in Haugland (1996 Handbook of Fluorescent Probes and Research Chemicals- Sixth Ed., Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR; 1999 Handbook of Fluorescent Probes and Research Chemicals- Seventh Ed., Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR, Internet: http://www.probes.com/lit/) and in references cited therein.
  • fluorescein particularly preferred for use as such a fluorophore in the subject invention methods are fluorescein, rhodamine, Texas Red, AlexaFluor-594, AlexaFluor-488, Oregon Green, BODIPY-FL, umbelliferone, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride, phycoerythrin or Cy-5.
  • suitable enzymes include, but are not limited to, horseradish peroxidase, biotin, alkaline phosphatase, ⁇ - galactosidase and acetylcholinesterase.
  • luminescent materials include luminol
  • suitable radioactive materials include radioactive phosphorus [ 32 P].
  • a detectably labeled siRNA polynucleotide comprises a magnetic particle, for example a paramagnetic or a diamagnetic particle or other magnetic particle or the like (preferably a microparticle) known to the art and suitable for the intended use.
  • a method for selecting a cell that has bound, adsorbed, absorbed, internalized or otherwise become associated with a siRNA polynucleotide that comprises a magnetic particle is provided.
  • nucleic acid molecules Methods for the delivery of nucleic acid molecules are described in Akhtar et al., 1992, Trends Cell Bio., 2, 139; and Delivery Strategies for Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapeutics, ed. Akhtar; Sullivan et al., PCT WO 94/02595, further describes the general methods for delivery of enzymatic RNA molecules. These protocols can be utilized for the delivery of virtually any nucleic acid molecule.
  • Nucleic acid molecules can be administered to cells by a variety of methods known to those familiar to the art, including, but not restricted to, encapsulation in liposomes, condensing to nanoparticles or nanoplex with positively charged polymers such as, but not limited to, histidine- lysine (HK) copolymer or HK-coploymer conjugated with PEG, by iontophoresis, or by incorporation into other vehicles, such as hydrogels, cyclodexthns, biodegradable nanocapsules, and bioadhesive microspheres
  • the nucleic acid/vehicle combination is locally delivered by direct injection or by use of an infusion pump.
  • routes of delivery include, but are not limited to oral (tablet or pill form) and/or intrathecal delivery (Gold, 1997, Neuroscience, 76, 1153-1158).
  • Other approaches include the use of various transport and carrier systems, for example, through the use of conjugates and biodegradable polymers.
  • drug delivery strategies including CNS delivery, see Ho et al., 1999, Curr. Opin. MoI. Ther., 1 , 336-343 and Jain, Drug Delivery Systems: Technologies and Commercial Opportunities, Decision Resources, 1998 and Groothuis et al., 1997, J. NeuroVirol., 3, 387-400.
  • nucleic acid delivery and administration are provided in Sullivan et al., supra, Draper et al., PCT WO93/23569, Beigelman et al., PCT WO99/05094, and Klimuk et al., PCT WO99/04819.
  • the molecules of the instant invention can be used as pharmaceutical agents. Pharmaceutical agents prevent, inhibit the occurrence, or treat (alleviate a symptom to some extent, in certain embodiments all of the symptoms) of a disease state in a subject.
  • the negatively charged polynucleotides of the invention can be administered and introduced into a subject by any standard means, with or without stabilizers, buffers, and the like, to form a pharmaceutical composition.
  • standard protocols for formation of liposomes can be followed.
  • the compositions of the present invention can also be formulated and used as tablets, capsules or elixirs for oral administration; suppositories for rectal administration; sterile solutions; suspensions for injectable administration; and the other compositions known in the art.
  • the present invention also includes pharmaceutically acceptable formulations of the compounds described.
  • formulations include salts of the above compounds, e.g., acid addition salts, for example, salts of hydrochloric, hydrobromic, acetic acid, and benzene sulfonic acid.
  • a composition or formulation of the siRNA molecules of the present invention refers to a composition or formulation in a form suitable for administration, e.g., systemic administration, into a cell or subject, preferably a human. Suitable forms, in part, depend upon the use or the route of entry, for example oral, transdermal, or by injection. Such forms should not prevent the composition or formulation from reaching a target cell. For example, pharmacological compositions injected into the blood stream should be soluble. Other factors are known in the art, and include considerations such as toxicity and forms which prevent the composition or formulation from exerting its effect.
  • systemic administration in vivo systemic absorption or accumulation of drugs in the blood stream followed by distribution throughout the entire body.
  • Administration routes which lead to systemic absorption include, without limitations: intravenous, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, inhalation, oral, intrapulmonary and intramuscular. Each of these administration routes exposes the desired negatively charged nucleic acids, to an accessible diseased tissue.
  • the rate of entry of a drug into the circulation has been shown to be a function of molecular weight or size.
  • the use of a liposome or other drug carrier comprising the compounds of the instant invention can potentially localize the drug, for example, in certain tissue types, such as the tissues of the reticular endothelial system (RES).
  • RES reticular endothelial system
  • a liposome formulation which can facilitate the association of drug with the surface of cells, such as, lymphocytes and macrophages is also useful. This approach can provide enhanced delivery of the drug to target cells by taking advantage of the specificity of macrophage and lymphocyte immune recognition of abnormal cells, such as cancer cells.
  • compositions or formulation that allows for the effective distribution of the nucleic acid molecules of the instant invention in the physical location most suitable for their desired activity.
  • agents suitable for formulation with the nucleic acid molecules of the instant invention include: PEG conjugated nucleic acids, phospholipid conjugated nucleic acids, nucleic acids containing lipophilic moieties, phosphorothioates, P-glycoprotein inhibitors (such as Pluronic P85) which can enhance entry of drugs into various tissues; biodegradable polymers, such as poly (DL-lactide-coglycolide) microspheres for sustained release delivery after implantation (Emerich, DF et al., 1999, Cell Transplant, 8, 47-58) Alkermes, Inc.
  • nanoparticles such as those made of polybutylcyanoacrylate, which can deliver drugs across the blood brain barrier and can alter neuronal uptake mechanisms (Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 23, 941 -949, 1999).
  • the invention also features the use of the composition comprising surface-modified liposomes containing poly (ethylene glycol) lipids (PEG- modified, branched and unbranched or combinations thereof, or long-circulating liposomes or stealth liposomes).
  • Nucleic acid molecules of the invention can also comprise covalently attached PEG molecules of various molecular weights. These formulations offer a method for increasing the accumulation of drugs in target tissues. This class of drug carriers resists opsonization and elimination by the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS or RES), thereby enabling longer blood circulation times and enhanced tissue exposure for the encapsulated drug (Lasic et al. Chem. Rev.
  • the present invention includes nucleic acid compositions, such as siRNA compositions, prepared as described in US 2003/0166601.
  • the present invention provides a composition of the siRNA described herein comprising: 1 ) a core complex comprising the nucleic acid (e.g., siRNA) and Histidine-Lysine copolymer; and 2) an outer shell moiety comprising NHS-PEG-VS and a targeting moiety.
  • siRNA sequences are complexed through electrostatic bonds with a cationic polymer to form a RNAi/nanoplex structure.
  • the cationic polymer facilitates cell internalization and endosomal release of its siRNA payload in the cytoplasm of a target cell.
  • a hydrophilic steric polymer can be added to the RNAi/cationic polymer nanoplex.
  • illustrative steric polymers include a Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) layer.
  • the PEG can be a single or bifunctional PEG depending on the use of a targeting or other functional protein, peptide or small molecule and have lengths in the range of 2Kd to 50Kd and any size in between.
  • the PEG is 5Kd, 10KD, 15Kd, or 20Kd.
  • Examples include mPEG 5Kd PAL (propionaldehyde) and VS_PEG NHS.
  • this component helps reduce non-specific tissue interaction, increase circulation time, and minimize immunogenic potential.
  • PEG layers can also enhance siRNA distribution to tumor tissue through the phenomenon of Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) in the often leaky tumor vasculature. Additionally, these complexes can be crosslinked to provide additional stability.
  • EPR Enhanced Permeability and Retention
  • This crosslinking can be done through coupling to the cationic polymers, hydrophilic steric polymers or both. Where a targeting moiety is used, the crosslinking can be done prior to or after the coupling of the crosslinking agents.
  • a preferred cross linking agent is dimethyl 3,3'- dithiobispropionimidate-2HCI (DTBP).
  • DTBP dimethyl 3,3'- dithiobispropionimidate-2HCI
  • the present invention includes nucleic acid compositions prepared for delivery as described in US Patent Nos. 6,692,911 , 7,163,695 and 7,070,807.
  • the present invention provides a nucleic acid of the present invention in a composition comprising copolymers of lysine and histidine (HK) as described in US Patents 7,163,695, 7,070,807, and 6,692,911 either alone or in combination with PEG ⁇ e.g., branched or unbranched PEG or a mixture of both), in combination with PEG and a targeting moiety or any of the foregoing in combination with a crosslinking agent.
  • HK lysine and histidine
  • the present invention provides siRNA molecules in compositions comprising gluconic-acid-modified polyhistidine or gluconylated-polyhistidine/transferrin- polylysine.
  • compositions comprising gluconic-acid-modified polyhistidine or gluconylated-polyhistidine/transferrin- polylysine.
  • amino acids with properties similar to His and Lys my be substituted within the composition.
  • Arg and/or Ornithine can be used to replace Lys.
  • a targeting moiety as described above is utilized to target the desired siRNA(s) to a cell of interest.
  • targeting ligands are readily interchangeable depending on the disease and siRNA of interest to be delivered.
  • the targeting moiety may include an RGD (Arginine, Glycine, Aspartic Acid) peptide ligand that binds to activated integrins on tumor vasculature endothelial cells, such as ⁇ v ⁇ 3 integrins.
  • compositions comprising the siRNA molecules of the present invention include at least one targeting moiety, such as a ligand for a cell surface receptor or other cell surface marker that permits highly specific interaction of the composition comprising the siRNA molecule (the "vector") with the target tissue or cell.
  • the vector preferably will include an unshielded ligand or a shielded ligand.
  • the vector may include two or more targeting moieties, depending on the cell type that is to be targeted. Use of multiple (two or more) targeting moieties can provide additional selectivity in cell targeting, and also can contribute to higher affinity and/or avidity of binding of the vector to the target cell.
  • the relative molar ratio of the targeting moieties may be varied to provide optimal targeting efficiency.
  • Methods for optimizing cell binding and selectivity in this fashion are known in the art.
  • assays for measuring cell selectivity and affinity and efficiency of binding are known in the art and can be used to optimize the nature and quantity of the targeting ligand(s).
  • Illustrative targeting agents include biocompounds, or portions thereof, that interact specifically with individual cells, small groups of cells, or large categories of cells.
  • useful targeting agents include, but are in no way limited to, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), transferrin, asiaglycoproteins, gp120 envelope protein of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and diptheria toxin, antibodies, and carbohydrates.
  • a targeting moeity is sialyl-Lewis x , where the composition is intended for treating a region of inflammation.
  • Other peptide ligands may be identified using methods such as phage display (F. Bartoli et al., Isolation of peptide ligands for tissue-specific cell surface receptors, in Vector Targeting Strategies for Therapeutic Gene Delivery (Abstracts form Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 1999 meeting), 1999, p4) and microbial display (Georgiou et al., Ultra-High Affinity Antibodies from Libraries Displayed on the Surface of Microorganisms and Screened by FACS, in Vector Targeting Strategies for Therapeutic Gene Delivery (Abstracts form Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 1999 meeting), 1999, p 3.). Ligands identified in this manner are suitable for use in the present invention.
  • compositions prepared for storage or administration which include a pharmaceutically effective amount of the desired compounds in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.
  • Acceptable carriers or diluents for therapeutic use are well known in the pharmaceutical art, and are described, for example, in Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, 20th Edition. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000.
  • preservatives, stabilizers, dyes and flavoring agents can be provided. These include sodium benzoate, sorbic acid and esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid.
  • antioxidants and suspending agents can be used.
  • a pharmaceutically effective dose is that dose required to prevent, inhibit the occurrence, or treat (alleviate a symptom to some extent, and in certain embodiments, all of the symptoms of) a disease state.
  • the pharmaceutically effective dose depends on the type of disease, the composition used, the route of administration, the type of mammal being treated, the physical characteristics of the specific mammal under consideration, concurrent medication, and other factors which those skilled in the medical arts will recognize. Generally, an amount between 0.1 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weight/day of active ingredients is administered dependent upon potency of the negatively charged polymer.
  • nucleic acid molecules of the invention and formulations thereof can be administered orally, topically, parenterally, by inhalation or spray or rectally in dosage unit formulations containing conventional non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, adjuvants and vehicles.
  • parenteral as used herein includes percutaneous, subcutaneous, intravascular (e.g., intravenous), intramuscular, or intrathecal injection or infusion techniques and the like.
  • a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a nucleic acid molecule of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • One or more nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be present in association with one or more non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or diluents and/or adjuvants, and if desired other active ingredients.
  • compositions containing nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be in a form suitable for oral use, for example, as tablets, troches, lozenges, aqueous or oily suspensions, dispersible powders or granules, emulsion, hard or soft capsules, or syrups or elixirs.
  • nucleic acid compositions of the invention can be used in combination with other nucleic acid compositions that target the same or different areas of the target gene (e.g., A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf ), or that target other genes of interest.
  • the nucleic acid compositions of the invention can also be used in combination with any of a variety of treatment modalities, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or small molecule regimens.
  • compositions intended for oral use can be prepared according to any method known to the art for the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions and such compositions can contain one or more such sweetening agents, flavoring agents, coloring agents or preservative agents in order to provide pharmaceutically elegant and palatable preparations.
  • Tablets contain the active ingredient in admixture with non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable excipients that are suitable for the manufacture of tablets.
  • excipients can be for example, inert diluents, such as calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, lactose, calcium phosphate or sodium phosphate; granulating and disintegrating agents, for example, corn starch, or alginic acid; binding agents, for example starch, gelatin or acacia, and lubricating agents, for example magnesium stearate, stearic acid or talc.
  • the tablets can be uncoated or they can be coated by known techniques. In some cases such coatings can be prepared by known techniques to delay disintegration and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and thereby provide a sustained action over a longer period.
  • a time delay material such as glyceryl monosterate or glyceryl distearate can be employed.
  • Formulations for oral use can also be presented as hard gelatin capsules wherein the active ingredient is mixed with an inert solid diluent, for example, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate or kaolin, or as soft gelatin capsules wherein the active ingredient is mixed with water or an oil medium, for example peanut oil, liquid paraffin or olive oil.
  • Aqueous suspensions contain the active materials in admixture with excipients suitable for the manufacture of aqueous suspensions.
  • excipients are suspending agents, for example sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydropropyl-methylcellulose, sodium alginate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, gum tragacanth and gum acacia; dispersing or wetting agents can be a naturally-occurring phosphatide, for example, lecithin, or condensation products of an alkylene oxide with fatty acids, for example polyoxyethylene stearate, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with long chain aliphatic alcohols, for example heptadecaethyleneoxycetanol, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with partial esters derived from fatty acids and a hexitol such as polyoxyethylene sorbitol monooleate, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with partial esters derived from fatty acids and hexitol anhydrides, for example polyethylene sorbitan monoole
  • the aqueous suspensions can also contain one or more preservatives, for example ethyl, or n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, one or more coloring agents, one or more flavoring agents, and one or more sweetening agents, such as sucrose or saccharin.
  • preservatives for example ethyl, or n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate
  • coloring agents for example ethyl, or n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate
  • flavoring agents for example ethyl, or n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate
  • sweetening agents such as sucrose or saccharin.
  • Oily suspensions can be formulated by suspending the active ingredients in a vegetable oil, for example arachis oil, olive oil, sesame oil or coconut oil, or in a mineral oil such as liquid paraffin.
  • the oily suspensions can contain a thickening agent, for example beeswax, hard paraffin or cetyl alcohol.
  • Sweetening agents and flavoring agents can be added to provide palatable oral preparations. These compositions can be preserved by the addition of an antioxidant such as ascorbic acid.
  • Dispersible powders and granules suitable for preparation of an aqueous suspension by the addition of water provide the active ingredient in admixture with a dispersing or wetting agent, suspending agent and one or more preservatives. Suitable dispersing or wetting agents or suspending agents are exemplified by those already mentioned above. Additional excipients, for example sweetening, flavoring and coloring agents, can also be present.
  • compositions of the invention can also be in the form of oil-in-water emulsions.
  • the oily phase can be a vegetable oil or a mineral oil or mixtures of these.
  • Suitable emulsifying agents can be naturally- occurring gums, for example gum acacia or gum tragacanth, naturally-occurring phosphatides, for example soy bean, lecithin, and esters or partial esters derived from fatty acids and hexitol, anhydrides, for example sorbitan monooleate, and condensation products of the said partial esters with ethylene oxide, for example polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate.
  • the emulsions can also contain sweetening and flavoring agents.
  • Syrups and elixirs can be formulated with sweetening agents, for example glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, glucose or sucrose. Such formulations can also contain a demulcent, a preservative and flavoring and coloring agents.
  • the pharmaceutical compositions can be in the form of a sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspension. This suspension can be formulated according to the known art using those suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents that have been mentioned above.
  • the sterile injectable preparation can also be a sterile injectable solution or suspension in a non-toxic parentally acceptable diluent or solvent, for example as a solution in 1 ,3-butanediol.
  • Suitable vehicles and solvents that can be employed are water, Ringer's solution and isotonic sodium chloride solution.
  • sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium.
  • any bland fixed oil can be employed including synthetic mono-or triglycerides.
  • fatty acids such as oleic acid find use in the preparation of injectables.
  • the nucleic acid molecules of the invention can also be administered in the form of suppositories, e.g., for rectal administration of the drug.
  • suppositories e.g., for rectal administration of the drug.
  • These compositions can be prepared by mixing the drug with a suitable non-irritating excipient that is solid at ordinary temperatures but liquid at the rectal temperature and will therefore melt in the rectum to release the drug.
  • suitable non-irritating excipient that is solid at ordinary temperatures but liquid at the rectal temperature and will therefore melt in the rectum to release the drug.
  • Such materials include cocoa butter and polyethylene glycols.
  • Nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be administered parenterally in a sterile medium.
  • the drug depending on the vehicle and concentration used, can either be suspended or dissolved in the vehicle.
  • adjuvants such as local anesthetics, preservatives and buffering agents can be dissolved in the vehicle.
  • Dosage levels of the order of from about 0.01 mg to about 140 mg per kilogram of body weight per day are useful in the treatment of the disease conditions described herein (about 0.5 mg to about 7 g per patient or subject per day).
  • the amount of active ingredient that can be combined with the carrier materials to produce a single dosage form varies depending upon the host treated and the particular mode of administration.
  • Dosage unit forms generally contain between from about 1 mg to about 500 mg of an active ingredient.
  • the specific dose level for any particular patient or subject depends upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, time of administration, route of administration, and rate of excretion, drug combination and the severity of the particular disease undergoing therapy.
  • the composition can also be added to the animal feed or drinking water. It can be convenient to formulate the animal feed and drinking water compositions so that the animal takes in a therapeutically appropriate quantity of the composition along with its diet. It can also be convenient to present the composition as a premix for addition to the feed or drinking water.
  • nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can also be administered to a subject in combination with other therapeutic compounds to increase the overall therapeutic effect.
  • the use of multiple compounds to treat an indication can increase the beneficial effects while reducing the presence of side effects.
  • nucleic acid-based inhibitors of the invention are added directly, or can be complexed with cationic lipids, packaged within liposomes, or otherwise delivered to target cells or tissues.
  • the nucleic acid or nucleic acid complexes can be locally administered to relevant tissues ex vivo, or in vivo through injection or infusion pump, with or without their incorporation in biopolymers.
  • the siRNA molecules of the present invention can be used in a method for treating or preventing a A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf expressing disorder in a subject having or suspected of being at risk for having the disorder, comprising administering to the subject one or more siRNA molecules described herein, thereby treating or preventing the disorder.
  • the method provides for treating such diseases described herein, by administering 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15 or more siRNA molecules as described herein, such as those provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540, or a dsRNA thereof.
  • nucleic acid molecules of the instant invention can be used to treat diseases or conditions associated with altered expression and/or activity of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf .
  • the small nucleic acid molecules described herein are useful, for example, in providing compositions to prevent, inhibit, or reduce malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers (e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, and biliary tract and/or other disease states, conditions, or traits associated with A- Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf gene expression or activity in a subject or organism.
  • malignant melanoma hematopoietic cancers (e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, color
  • the nucleic acid molecules of the instant invention can also be used to prevent diseases or conditions associated with altered activity and/or expression of A- Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf in individuals that are suspected of being at risk for developing such a disease or condition.
  • diseases or conditions associated with altered activity and/or expression of A- Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf in individuals that are suspected of being at risk for developing such a disease or condition.
  • the subject having the disease or condition, or suspected of being at risk for developing the disease or condition can be treated, or other appropriate cells can be treated, as is evident to those skilled in the art, individually or in combination with one or more drugs under conditions suitable for the treatment.
  • the present invention provides methods for treating or preventing diseases or conditions which respond to the modulation of A-Raf, B- Raf, and/or C-Raf expression comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more of the nucleic acid molecules of the invention, such as those set forth in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540.
  • the present invention provides methods for treating or preventing diseases associated with expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of any one or more of the nucleic acid molecules of the invention, such as those provided in SEQ ID NOs:45-132, 198-321 and 397-540, such that the expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf in the subject is down-regulated, thereby treating or preventing the disease associated with expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf .
  • compositions of the invention can be used in methods for treating or preventing malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, and biliary tract, or other conditions which respond to the modulation of A-Raf, B- Raf, and/or C-Raf expression.
  • malignant melanoma hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia
  • head and neck squamous cell carcinoma colorectal cancer
  • cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, and biliary tract or other conditions which respond to the modulation of A-Raf, B- Raf, and/or
  • the nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be used in combination with other known treatments to treat conditions or diseases discussed herein.
  • the described molecules can be used in combination with one or more known therapeutic agents to treat malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers (e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, and biliary tract or other conditions which respond to the modulation of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf expression.
  • hematopoietic cancers e.g., acute myeloid leukemia
  • head and neck squamous cell carcinoma e.g., colorectal cancer
  • chemotherapeutic agents include alkylating agents such as thiotepa and CYTOXAN® cyclosphosphamide; alkyl sulfonates such as busulfan, improsulfan and piposulfan; aziridines such as benzodopa, carboquone, meturedopa, and uredopa; ethylenimines and methylamelamines including altretamine, thethylenemelamine, trietylenephosphoramide, triethiylenethiophosphoramide and trimethylolomelamine; acetogenins (especially bullatacin and bullatacinone); delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (dronabinol, MARINOL®); beta-lapachone; lapachol; colchicines; betulinic acid; a camptothecin (including the synthetic analogue topotecan
  • calicheamicin especially calicheamicin gammal I and calicheamicin omegaH (see, e.g., Agnew, Chem Intl. Ed. Engl., 33: 183-186 (1994)); dynemicin, including dynemicin A; an esperamicin; as well as neocarzinostatin chromophore and related chromoprotein enediyne antiobiotic chromophores), aclacinomysins, actinomycin, authramycin, azaserine, bleomycins, cactinomycin, carabicin, carminomycin, carzinophilin, chromomycinis, dactinomycin, daunorubicin, detorubicin, 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, doxorubicin (including ADRIAMYCIN®, morpholino-doxorubicin, cyano
  • Patent No. 6,344,321 which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety; anti HGF monoclonal antibodies (e.g., AV299 from Aveo, AMG102, from Amgen); truncated mTOR variants (e.g., CGEN241 from Compugen); protein kinase inhibitors that block mTOR induced pathways (e.g., ARQ197 from Arqule, XL880 from Exelexis, SGX523 from SGX Pharmaceuticals, MP470 from Supergen, PF2341066 from Pfizer); vaccines such as THERATOPE® vaccine and gene therapy vaccines, for example, ALLOVECTIN® vaccine, LEUVECTIN® vaccine, and VAXID® vaccine; topoisomerase 1 inhibitor (e.g., LURTOTECAN®); rmRH (e.g., ABARELIX®); lapatinib ditosylate (an ErbB-2 and EGFR dual tyrosine kinase
  • compositions and methods are known in the art for identifying subjects having, or suspected of being at risk for having the diseases or disorders associated with expression of A-Raf, B-Raf, and/or C-Raf as described herein.
  • the present invention provides a method for interfering with expression of a polypeptide, or variant thereof, comprising contacting a subject that comprises at least one cell which is capable of expressing the polypeptide with a siRNA polynucleotide for a time and under conditions sufficient to interfere with expression of the polypeptide.
  • A-Raf siRNA molecules were designed using a tested algorithm and using the publicly available sequence for A-Raf found in the NCBI database, NM_001654 (SEQ ID NO: 133).
  • the A-Raf start position is made with reference to SEQ ID NO: 133.
  • the corresponding protein sequence is provided in SEQ ID NOs: 135.
  • NM_001654 was used as the template for designing siRNA molecules as described in this example.
  • Table 1 shows the target sequence of A-Raf -siRNA candidates.
  • A-Raf candidate siRNA molecules are shown in Table 2 below and are set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 45-132.
  • Table 2 A-Raf Candidate siRNA Molecules
  • the candidate siRNA molecules described in this Example can be used for down-regulation of A-Raf expression and are useful in a variety of therapeutic settings, for example, in the treatment malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers (e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, biliary tract, and other organs and/or other disease states, conditions, or traits associated with A-Raf gene expression or activity in a subject or organism.
  • hematopoietic cancers e.g., acute myeloid leukemia
  • head and neck squamous cell carcinoma e.g., colorectal cancer
  • B-Raf siRNA molecules were designed using a tested algorithm and using the publicly available sequence for B-Raf found in the NCBI database, NM_004333 (SEQ ID NO: 322).
  • the B-Raf start position is made with reference to SEQ ID NO: 322.
  • the corresponding protein sequence is provided in SEQ ID NOs: 324.
  • NM_004333 was used as the template for designing siRNA molecules as described in this example.
  • Table 3 shows the target sequence of B-Raf -siRNA candidates.
  • B-Raf candidate siRNA molecules are shown in Table 4 below and are set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 198-321.
  • the candidate siRNA molecules described in this Example can be used for down-regulation of B-Raf expression and are useful in a variety of therapeutic settings, for example, in the treatment malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers (e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, biliary tract, and other organs and/or other disease states, conditions, or traits associated with B-Raf gene expression or activity in a subject or organism.
  • hematopoietic cancers e.g., acute myeloid leukemia
  • head and neck squamous cell carcinoma e.g., colorectal cancer
  • C-Raf siRNA molecules were designed using a tested algorithm and using the publicly available sequence for C-Raf found in the NCBI database, NM_002880 (SEQ ID NO: 541 ).
  • the C-Raf start position is made with reference to SEQ ID NO: 541.
  • the corresponding protein sequence is provided in SEQ ID NOs: 543.
  • NM_002880 was used as the template for designing siRNA molecules as described in this example.
  • Table 5 shows the target sequence of C-Raf -siRNA candidates.
  • C-Raf candidate siRNA molecules are shown in Table 6 below and are set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 397-540.
  • the candidate siRNA molecules described in this Example can be used for down-regulation of C-Raf expression and are useful in a variety of therapeutic settings, for example, in the treatment malignant melanoma, hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and cancers of the thyroid, esophagus, stomach, ovary, breast, kidney, liver, pancreas, larynx, biliary tract, and other organs and/or other disease states, conditions, or traits associated with C-Raf gene expression or activity in a subject or organism.
  • malignant melanoma hematopoietic cancers ⁇ e.g., acute myeloid leukemia
  • head and neck squamous cell carcinoma colorectal cancer

Abstract

La présente invention concerne des molécules d’acides nucléiques inhibitrices de l’expression des gènes A-Raf, B-Raf, et/ou C-Raf. L’invention concerne également des procédés d’utilisation des molécules d’acides nucléiques.
PCT/US2009/044893 2008-05-21 2009-05-21 Compositions comportant des arnsi des gènes a-raf, b-raf, et c-raf et leurs procédés d’utilisation WO2009143372A2 (fr)

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WO2019117188A1 (fr) * 2017-12-15 2019-06-20 洋司郎 新津 Inhibiteur de la prolifération cellulaire et composition pharmaceutique pour le traitement ou la prévention du cancer comprenant l'inhibiteur de la prolifération cellulaire

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