Real Time in Vitro Regulation of DNA Methylation Using a 5-Fluorouracil Conjugated DNA-Based Stimuli-Responsive Platform

DNA methylation, catalyzed by methylases, plays a critical role in many biological processes, and many methylases have been regarded as promising targets for antimicrobial drugs. In this work, we report a stimulus responsive, self-regulating anticancer drug release platform, comprising a multifunctional DNA that upon methylation by methyltransferase (MTase) releases 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and in turn inhibits subsequent expression of MTase. The multifunctional DNA with anticancer drug are first methylated by DNA adenine methylation (DAM) methyltransferase (MTase) and then cut by the methylation-sensitive restriction endonuclease Dpn I. Removal of duplex from the functional DNA by the methylation/cleavage process will release the anticancer drug, resulting in inhibition of the activity of DAM in turn. Consequently, the enzyme activity of DAM MTase can be self-regulated. Furthermore, we found that the inhibition efficiency of 5-Fu significantly increase as it is functionalized with DNA.