Small interfering RNAs targeting peste des petits ruminants virus M mRNA increase virus-mediated fusogenicity and inhibit viral replication in vitro

In this study, three different small interfering RNAs (siRNA) were designed on the basis of translated region for PPRV Nigeria 75/1 M mRNA, and were subsequently synthesized for their transfection into Vero-SLAM cells, followed by infection with PPRVs. The results showed that two out of three siRNAs robustly induced cell-to-cell fusion as early as 36 hours post-infection with PPRVs, effectively suppressed expression of the M protein by interference for the M mRNA, and eventually inhibited viral replication in vitro. These findings led us to speculate that siRNA-mediated knockdown of the M protein would alter its interaction with viral glycoproteins, thus exacerbating intercellular fusion but hampering virus release.
Source: Antiviral Therapy - Category: Virology Source Type: research