title: Inhibition of SARS-CoV replication by siRNA.
abstract: Serious outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), caused by the newly discovered coronavirus SARS-CoV, occurred between late 2002 and early 2003 and there is an urgent need for effective antiviral agents. RNA interference in animals and post-transcriptional gene silencing plants is mediated by small double-stranded RNA molecules named small interfering RNA (siRNA). Recently, siRNA-induced RNA interference(RNAi) may provide a new approach to therapy for pathogenic viruses, e.g. HIV and HCV. In this study, the silencing potential of seven synthetic siRNAs against SARS-CoV leader, TRS, 3'-UTR and Spike coding sequence have been applied to explore the possibility for prevention of SARS-CoV infection. We demonstrate that siRNAs directed against Spike sequences and the 3'-UTR can inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV in Vero-E6 cells, and holds out promise for the development of an effective antiviral agent against SARS-CoV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Pei Ning Road, Keelung 202, Taiwan, ROC. wuchangjer@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: Chang-Jer
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hui-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chiu-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Cheng-Fong
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yi-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014709:Vero Cells; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins