Antiviral potency of a siRNA targeting a conserved region of coxsackievirus A24.
Coxsackievirus A24 (CVA24) is responsible for acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, a highly contagious eye disease for which no prevention or treatment is currently available. We thus assessed the antiviral potential of a small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting CVA24. HeLa cells with or without four different siRNAs complementary to 2C or 3D genome region, were challenged with various CVA24s. Among several siRNAs, a siRNA targeting the highly conserved genome region called the cis-acting replication element (CVA24-CRE), was the only siRNA that decreased virus replication and subsequent cytotoxicity by both CVA24 variant and clinical isolates. Furthermore, CVA24-CRE had effective antiviral activity against CVA24 in primary human conjunctival cells. In addition, CVA24-CRE was highly resistant to the emergence of genetically altered escape mutants. Collectively, the present study provides evidence that CVA24-CRE targeting a conserved viral genome region had universal, prolonged anti-CVA24 activity. This siRNA may thus hold a potential to act clinically as a novel anti-CVA24 agent.
Jun
Eun Jung
EJ
Department of Microbiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Songpa P.O. Box 145, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Nam
Young Ran
YR
Ahn
Jeonghyun
J
Tchah
Hungwon
H
Joo
Chul Hyun
CH
Jee
Youngmee
Y
Kim
Yoo Kyum
YK
Lee
Heuiran
H
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D030015:Enterovirus C, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering