Protection against West Nile virus infection in mice after inoculation with type I interferon-inducing RNA transcripts

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. © 2012 Rodríguez-Pulido et al.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Rodríguez-Pulido, M., Martín-Acebes, M. A., Escribano Romero, Estela, Blázquez Martín, Ana Belén, Sobrino, F., Borrego, B., Sáiz, M., Saiz Calahorra, Juan Carlos
Format:	artículo biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	Public Library of Science 2012
Online Access:	http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12792/3841 http://hdl.handle.net/10261/292940
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