Pathogens . RNA Secondary Structure as a First Step for Rational Design of the Oligonucleotides towards Inhibition of Influenza A Virus Replication

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Pathogens


. 2020 Nov 7;9(11):E925.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens9110925.
RNA Secondary Structure as a First Step for Rational Design of the Oligonucleotides towards Inhibition of Influenza A Virus Replication


Marta Szabat ¹ , Dagny Lorent ¹ , Tomasz Czapik ¹ , Maria Tomaszewska ¹ , Elzbieta Kierzek ¹ , Ryszard Kierzek ¹



Affiliations

• PMID: 33171815
• DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110925

Free article

Abstract

Influenza is an important research subject around the world because of its threat to humanity. Influenza A virus (IAV) causes seasonal epidemics and sporadic, but dangerous pandemics. A rapid antigen changes and recombination of the viral RNA genome contribute to the reduced effectiveness of vaccination and anti-influenza drugs. Hence, there is a necessity to develop new antiviral drugs and strategies to limit the influenza spread. IAV is a single-stranded negative sense RNA virus with a genome (viral RNA-vRNA) consisting of eight segments. Segments within influenza virion are assembled into viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes that are independent transcription-replication units. Each step in the influenza life cycle is regulated by the RNA and is dependent on its interplay and dynamics. Therefore, viral RNA can be a proper target to design novel therapeutics. Here, we briefly described examples of anti-influenza strategies based on the antisense oligonucleotide (ASO), small interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA (miRNA) and catalytic nucleic acids. In particular we focused on the vRNA structure-function relationship as well as presented the advantages of using secondary structure information in predicting therapeutic targets and the potential future of this field.

Keywords: RNA interference; RNA structure; antisense oligonucleotides; antiviral strategies; catalytic nucleic acids; influenza A virus; replication.