Antisense oligonucleotide hold great promise as potential therapeutic agents for inhibiting the expression of undesirable genes specifically. Whereas, interleukin-1β(IL-1β) play a key role in the inflammation and the developing of rheumatoid arthritis(RA). To block the IL-1β production by antisense DNA method, we synthesized antisense oligonucleot ides (20mers)with ph osphoroth ioate linkages targeting the human IL-1β mRNA. These antisense oligonucleotides were tested for inhibition of IL-1β production in LPS-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy volunteer and primary synobiocytes from patients with RA. These cells were cultured with each oligonucleotide and total IL-1β contents were measured by using ELISA system. Antisense oligonucleotides inhibited the production of IL-1β in both cells in a dose-dependent manner.
