Project description:RNA interference (RNAi) is an antiviral immunity conserved in diverse eukaryotes including mammals, while viruses encodes viral suppressors of RNAi (VSRs) as countermeasures. However, the physiological impact of RNAi on viral infection in mammals has not been fully assessed, and it also remains unknown whether antiviral RNAi can be therapeutically exploited. Here, we show that peptides designed to target enterovirus A71 (EV-A71)-encoded protein 3A, a well-characterized VSR, triggered an effective antiviral response. These VSR-targeting peptides, particularly ER-DRI, abrogated the VSR function of 3A, which enabled EV-A71-derived siRNA production and unlocked RNAi response that potently inhibited EV-A71 infection in mammals. ER-DRI treatment elicited a strong in vivo antiviral RNAi response that protected mice against lethal EV-A71 challenge. It also potently inhibited another enterovirus, Coxsackievirus-A16, dependently of RNAi. Our findings demonstrate that antiviral RNAi does have a physiologically important impact in mammals and targeting VSRs is a promising strategy for antiviral therapies.
Project description:To elucidate alterations in immune cells during enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) infection and explore potential interaction mechanisms.Single-cell sequencing technology was used to sequence peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) obtained from a severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) patient due to EV-A71 and a healthy control.
Project description:Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is a single-stranded, positive sense RNA virus causing endoplasmic reticulum stress to induce or modulate downstream signaling pathways known as the unfolded protein responses (UPR). The 3A protein of EV-A71 was identified as a major regulator of the UPR caused by infection with EV-A71. To identify the molecular pathways for the 3A protein to regulate the UPR, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) with RD cells expressing the 3A protein. Wild type or defective mutant of 3A protein that carried alanine substitutions of Ile8 or Ile10 (3A-I8A or -I10A) was expressed in the cells. The RNA-seq with cells expressing either WT or mutant 3A was performed.
