Control of ruminant morbillivirus replication by small interfering RNA.
Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus (PPRV) and rinderpest virus (RPV) are two morbilliviruses of economic relevance in African and Asian countries. Although efficient vaccines are available for both diseases, they cannot protect the animals before 14 days post-vaccination. In emergencies, it would be desirable to have efficient therapeutics for virus control. Here, two regions are described in the nucleocapsid genes of PPRV and RPV that can be targeted efficiently by synthetic short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), resulting in a >80 % reduction in virus replication. The effects of siRNAs on the production of viral RNA by real-time quantitative PCR, of viral proteins by flow cytometry and of virus particles by appreciation of the cytopathic effect and virus titration were monitored. The findings of this work highlight the potential for siRNA molecules to be developed as therapeutic agents for the treatment of PPRV and RPV infections.
Servan de Almeida
Renata
R
CIRAD, Département Systèmes Biologiques, UR-15, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier, France.
Keita
Djénéba
D
CIRAD, Département Systèmes Biologiques, UR-15, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier, France.
Libeau
Geneviève
G
CIRAD, Département Systèmes Biologiques, UR-15, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier, France.
Albina
Emmanuel
E
CIRAD, Département Systèmes Biologiques, UR-15, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier, France.
D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D018390:Gene Targeting; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D029021:Peste-des-Petits-Ruminants / Q000821:virology*; D018107:Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus / Q000502:physiology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012301:Rinderpest / Q000821:virology*; D012302:Rinderpest virus / Q000502:physiology*; D014162:Transfection; D014709:Vero Cells; D014779:Virus Replication
D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering