Key result
RNA aptamer HAS15-5 exhibits in vitro antiviral efficacy against H5 avian influenza by binding hemagglutinin.
Why the study?
Hemagglutinin of subtype H5 avian influenza virus plays a key role in viral infection, and targeting it with antiviral agents is a potential therapeutic strategy.
The RNA aptamer HAS15-5 demonstrates potential as a novel antiviral agent against type H5 avian influenza virus by blocking the receptor-binding domain of viral hemagglutinin.
HA-targeted aptamers merit preclinical optimization for H5 influenza; leaves open clinical translation and efficacy trials.
Avian influenza is an acute viral respiratory disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae. The influenza A virus subtype H5 can cause severe illness and results in almost 100% mortality rate among livestock. Hemagglutinin (HA) present in the virus envelope plays an essential role in the initiation of viral infection. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of using HA as a target for antiviral therapy through nucleic acid aptamers. After purification of the receptor binding domain (HA1) of HA protein, activity of recombinant HA1 was confirmed by using hemagglutination assay. We selected RNA aptamer candidates after 15 rounds of iterative Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX) targeting the biologically active HA protein. The selected RNA aptamer HAS15-5, which specifically binds to HA1, exhibited significant antiviral efficacy according to the results of a hemagglutination inhibition assay using egg allantoic fluids harboring the virus. Thus, the RNA aptamer HAS15-5, which acts by blocking and inhibiting the receptor-binding domain of viral HA, can be developed as a novel antiviral agent against type H5 avian influenza virus.
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Park et al. (2011) studied Avian influenza (subtype H5). RNA aptamer HAS15-5 was evaluated on Antiviral efficacy (hemagglutination inhibition). The selected RNA aptamer HAS15-5 specifically bound to the receptor binding domain of hemagglutinin and exhibited significant antiviral efficacy against the H5 avian influenza virus in vitro.
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