title: Protection against West Nile virus infection in mice after inoculation with type I interferon-inducing RNA transcripts.
abstract: West Nile virus (WNV) is a neurovirulent single stranded RNA mosquito-borne flavivirus, whose main natural hosts are birds, but it also infects humans and horses. Nowadays, no human vaccine is commercially available and clinical treatment is only supportive. Recently, it has been shown that RNA transcripts, mimicking structural domains in the non-coding regions (NCRs) of the foot-and mouth disease virus (FMDV) induce a potent IFN response and antiviral activity in transfected cultured cells, and also reduced mice susceptibility to FMDV. By using different transcripts combinations, administration schedules, and infecting routes and doses, we have demonstrated that these FMDV RNA transcripts protect suckling and adult mice against lethal challenge with WNV. The protective activity induced by the transcripts was systemic and dependent on the infection route and dose. These results confirm the antiviral potential of these synthetic RNAs for fighting viruses of different families relevant for human and animal health.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Pulido
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martín-Acebes
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escribano-Romero
authors.forename: Ana-Belén
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Blázquez
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sobrino
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borrego
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sáiz
authors.forename: Juan-Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Saiz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D012367:RNA, Viral