B. G. de la Torre

Publications (14)19.09 Total impact

• Article: Monitoring gene therapy by external imaging of mRNA: pilot study on murine erythropoietin.

  J Segura, C Fillat, D Andreu, J Llop, O Millan, B G de la Torre, Z Nikolovski, V Gomez, N Andreu, A Pinyot, R Castelo, J D Gispert, J A Pascual
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: Gene therapy is anticipated as being an important medical development. Essential to its effectiveness is the appropriate activity (protein expression) in the expected target cells. A noninvasive diagnostic procedure of successful gene expression will be of paramount importance to validate its use or its misuse (eg, sports gene doping). Externally detectable labeled oligonucleotide hybridizing with the messenger RNA generated by the transferred gene has been proposed as a possibility to monitor successful gene therapy. The authors selected the erythropoietin gene (Epo) for a pilot study on erythropoietin protein expression in mouse muscle. Oligonucleotides of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) type capable of antisense binding to unique murine Epo-mRNA sequences were synthesized by solid phase methods, and elongated at the N-terminus with the HIV Tat (48-60) cell penetrating peptide. They were labeled with fluorescence and radioactive tags to verify penetration and longer half-life properties in Epo gene transfected C2C12 mouse muscle cells as compared with corresponding wild-type cells. Downregulation of newly expressed erythropoietin protein in such cells additionally confirmed the penetration and hybridizing properties of the selected labeled oligonucleotide. I-labeled Tat-PNAs were intravenously injected into mice that had previously received the Epo gene into the right tibialis muscle by DNA electrotransfer. Preferential accumulation of radioactivity in the transferred limb as compared with the contralateral limb was ascertained, especially for I-Tat-CTA CGT AGA CCA CT (labeled Tat-PNA 1). This study provides experimental data to support the potential use of external noninvasive image detection to monitor gene therapy. The extension of the approach to more sensitive methods for whole-body external detection such as positron emission tomography appears feasible.
  Therapeutic Drug Monitoring 11/2007; 29(5):612-8. · 2.49 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: upf.edu

  Article: Anti-EPO and anti-NESP antibodies raised against synthetic peptides that reproduce the minimal amino acid sequence differences between EPO and NESP.

  E Giménez, C de Bolós, V Belalcazar, D Andreu, E Borrás, B G De la Torre, J Barbosa, J Segura, J A Pascual
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone that regulates red blood cell production. Recombinant human EPO (rHuEPO) and NESP (novel erythropoiesis stimulating protein) have been produced for therapeutic purposes and also to improve sports performance. The primary sequences of rHuEPO and NESP differ by just five amino acids. Due to the high homology, no antibodies that are able to discriminate between both molecules have been obtained until now. The aim of the present work was to design synthetic peptides corresponding to the sequence that differs between EPO and NESP (87-90aa), that can then be used as immunogens to develop specific rabbit polyclonal antibodies for selectively detecting EPO and NESP. Three peptides were synthesized: EPO (81-95), NESP (81-95), and NESP (86-104), and these were coupled to KLH and OVA for immunization and screening purposes, respectively. The sera obtained were tested by ELISA on synthetic peptide-OVA conjugates and purified by immunoaffinity chromatography against the corresponding synthetic peptide. The specific purified antibodies were characterized by ELISA, SDS-PAGE, and isoelectric focusing, followed by western blot. Antisera raised against EPO (81-95) recognized rHuEPO but not NESP. In contrast, anti-NESP (84-106) sera gave a specific anti-NESP response only after immunoaffinity purification on a NESP (86-91) column. An efficient strategy for generating specific antibodies against EPO and NESP can be achieved by selecting suitable synthetic peptides. The antibodies obtained are able to differentiate between rHuEPO and NESP, and may be particularly useful for screening purposes in both therapeutic and antidoping contexts.
  Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 09/2007; 388(7):1531-8. · 3.78 Impact Factor
• Article: A flexible method for the fabrication of gold nanostructures using oligonucleotide derivatives

  R. Eritja, A. Avino, B. G. de la Torre, D. Fitzmaurice, A. Ongaro, S. E. Stanca, A. DiSalvo, B. Maninng, D. Lacopino
  01/2007; 26:1605-1609.
• Article: Hybridization and melting Behavior of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligonucleotide chimeras conjugated to gold nanoparticles

  D. Murphy, G. Redmond, B. G. de la Torre, R. Eritja
  Helvetica Chimica Acta 01/2004; 87:2727-2734. · 1.48 Impact Factor
• Article: Synthesis of branched oligonucleotides as templates for the assembly of nanomaterials

  M. G. Grimau, D. Iacopino, A. Avino, B. G. de la Torre, A. Ongaro, D. Fitzmaurice, J. Wessels, R. Eritja
  Helvetica Chimica Acta 01/2003; 86:2814-2826. · 1.48 Impact Factor
• Article: Properties of triple helices formed by oligonucleotides containing 8-amitiopurines

  A. Avino, M. Frieden, J. C. Morales, B. G. de la Torre, R. Guimil-Garcia, M. Orozco, C. Gonzalez, R. Eritja
  01/2003; 22:645-648.
• Article: Hoogsteen-based parallel-stranded duplexes of DNA. Effect of 8-amino-purine derivatives

  E. Cubero, A. Avino, B. G. de la Torre, M. Frieden, R. Eritja, F. J. Luque, C. Gonzalez, M. Orozco
  01/2002; 124:3133-3142.
• Article: Solid-phase peptide synthesis using N-alpha-trityl-amino acids

  B. G. de la Torre, M. A. Marcos, R. Eritja, F. Albericio
  Letters in Peptide Science 01/2002; 8:331-338.
• Article: Towards DNA-Mediated self assembly of carbon nanotube molecular devices

  K. A. Williams, P. T. M. Veenhuizen, B. G. de la Torre, R. Eritja, C. Dekker
  AIP conference proceedings. 01/2002; 633:444-448.
• Article: Properties of triple helices formed by parallel-stranded hairpins containing 8-aminopurines

  A. Avino, M. Frieden, J. C. Morales, B. G. de la Torre, R. G. Garcia, F. Azorin, J. L. Gelpi, M. Orozco, C. Gonzalez, R. Eritja
  01/2002; 30:2609-2619.
• Article: Synthesis of oligonucleotides carrying anchoring groups and their use in the preparation of oligonucleotide-gold conjugates

  B. G. de la Torre, J. C. Morales, A. Avino, D. Iacopino, A. Ongaro, D. Fitzmaurice, D. Murphy, H. Doyle, G. Redmond, R. Eritja
  Helvetica Chimica Acta 01/2002; 85:2594-2607. · 1.48 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Ramon Eritja

  Article: Parallel-stranded hairpins containing 8-aminopurines. Novel efficient probes for triple-helix formation.

  A Aviñó, J C Morales, M Frieden, B G de la Torre, R G García, E Cubero, F J Luque, M Orozco, F Azorín, R Eritja
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: We describe novel oligomers with a greater propensity to form triplexes than oligomers containing only natural bases. They consist of a polypyrimidine sequence linked head-to-head with a polypurine sequence carrying one or several 8-aminoadenine or 8-aminoguanines. The presence of 8-aminopurines also stabilised the parallel-stranded duplex structure.
  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 08/2001; 11(13):1761-3. · 2.55 Impact Factor
• Article: Properties of triple helices formed by oligonucleotides containing 8-aminopurines.

  A Aviñó, M Frieden, J C Morales, B G de la Torre, R Güimil-García, M Orozco, C González, R Eritja
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: The synthesis of parallel hairpins carrying 8-aminopurines is described. These hairpins have a high affinity for specific polypyrimidine sequences resulting in the formation of very stable triplexes.
  Nucleosides Nucleotides &amp Nucleic Acids 22(5-8):645-8. · 0.90 Impact Factor
• Article: Synthesis and binding properties of oligonucleotides carrying nuclear localization sequences.

  B G de La Torre, F Albericio, E Saison-Behmoaras, A Bachi, R Eritja
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: The synthesis of oligonucleotides carrying nuclear localization peptide sequences is described using two strategies: first, oligonucleotides carrying a thiol group at the 5' end were reacted with maleimido peptides; second, peptide and oligonucleotide were prepared stepwise on the same support, yielding oligonucleotide-3'-peptide conjugates. This second approach was thoroughly studied. Using amino acids and small peptides as model compounds, some side reactions were analyzed, detected, and minimized. Oligonucleotides complementary to Ha-ras gene and carrying nuclear localization peptides at the 3' and 5' ends were prepared. Melting temperature studies showed that duplexes containing nuclear localization peptides were more stable than duplexes with unmodified oligonucleotides. Moreover, oligonucleotide-peptide conjugates maintain a good mismatch discrimination when they bind to their target RNA.
  Bioconjugate Chemistry 10(6):1005-12. · 4.93 Impact Factor