title: Aptamers targeting rabies virus-infected cells inhibit street rabies virus in vivo.
abstract: Rabies is a viral infection of the CNS that is almost always fatal once symptoms occur. No effective treatment of the disease is available and novel antiviral strategies are urgently required. Street rabies viruses are field isolates known to be highly neurotropic. Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotides that bind their targets with high affinity and specificity and thus have potential for use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this study, we demonstrate that the aptamers FO24 and FO21, which target RABV-infected cells, can significantly protect mice from a lethal dose of the street rabies virus FJ strain in vivo. Groups receiving preexposure prophylaxis had higher survival rates than the groups receiving postexposure prophylaxis. When mice were inoculated with aptamers (4 nmol) for 24h by intracranial or intramuscular injection prior to intramuscular inoculation with the FJ strain, approximately 60% of the mice survived. These results indicate that the FO21 and FO24 aptamers may be used to develop preventative antiviral therapy against rabies disease.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Fishery Drug Development of Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fishery Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun 130062, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Ru
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun 130062, China.
authors.forename: Gui-Qiu
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun 130062, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun 130062, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun 130062, China. Electronic address: xiaxianzhu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Song-Tao
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun 130062, China. Electronic address: yst610223@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xian-Zhu
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011818:Rabies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D009841:Oligonucleotides
keywords: Aptamer; Rabies virus; Therapeutic agents