We applied hybridization between hydrophobic peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) and oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to achieve their cellular uptake without any need for transfection reagents. We employed a pyrenyl unit as a hydrophobic functional group and introduced it at the terminus of the PNA strand. The pyrene-tethered PNA (PyPNA) strongly bound with its complementary ODNs to generate amphiphiles; the resulting hybrids formed aggregates that showed efficient cellular uptake and high biological stability. Aggregates containing a functional DNA aptamer that bound to the PyPNA penetrated the cell membrane smoothly, with the aptamer exerting its original function in living cells. Thus, PyPNA efficiently assisted the additive-free cellular uptake of ODNs.

中文翻译：

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寡核苷酸与疏水性肽核酸杂交可帮助它们通过聚集体形成吸收细胞。

我们在疏水肽核酸（PNA）和寡聚脱氧核苷酸（ODN）之间应用了杂交，以实现其细胞摄取，而无需任何转染试剂。我们采用a烯单元作为疏水性官能团，并将其引入PNA链的末端。pyr束缚的PNA（PyPNA）与互补的ODN牢固结合，生成两亲性；所得的杂种形成聚集体，这些聚集体显示出有效的细胞吸收和高生物稳定性。含有与PyPNA结合的功能性DNA适体的聚集体顺利渗透细胞膜，而该适体在活细胞中发挥其原始功能。因此，PyPNA有效地协助了ODN的无添加剂细胞摄取。