title: Topical treatment of herpes simplex virus infection with enzymatically created siRNA swarm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a common human pathogen. Despite current antivirals, it causes a significant medical burden. Drug resistant strains exist and they are especially prevalent in immunocompromised patients and in HSV eye infections. New treatment modalities are needed.
  
  
  METHODS
  BALB/c mice were corneally infected with HSV and subsequently treated with a swarm of enzymatically created, Dicer-substrate small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules that targeted the HSV gene UL29. Two infection models were used, one in which the infection was predominantly peripheral and another in which it spread to the central nervous system. Mouse survival, as well as viral spread, load, latency and peripheral shedding, was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The anti-HSV-UL29 siRNA swarm alleviated HSV infection symptoms, inhibited viral shedding and replication and had a favourable effect on mouse survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with anti-HSV-UL29 siRNA swarm reduced symptoms and viral spread in HSV infection of mice and also inhibited local viral replication in mouse corneas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.|Drug Research Doctoral Programme, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paavilainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.|Drug Research Doctoral Programme, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Jenni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehtinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Alesia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romanovskaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nygårdas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Dennis H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Bamford
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Minna M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Poranen
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Veijo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hukkanen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D051379:Mice; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019562:Viral Load; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014779:Virus Replication; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering