Two Examples of RNA Aptamers with Antiviral Activity. Are Aptamers the Wished Antiviral Drugs?

Alfredo Berzal-Herranz,Cristina Romero-López

doi:10.3390/ph13080157

Alfredo Berzal-Herranz, Cristina Romero-López

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ph13080157

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Abstract

The current Covid-19 pandemic has pointed out some major deficiencies of the even most advanced societies to fight against viral RNA infections. Once more, it has been demonstrated that there is a lack of efficient drugs to control RNA viruses. Aptamers are efficient ligands of a great variety of molecules including proteins and nucleic acids. Their specificity and mechanism of action make them very promising molecules for interfering with the function encoded in viral RNA genomes. RNA viruses store essential information in conserved structural genomic RNA elements that promote important steps for the consecution of the infective cycle. This work describes two well documented examples of RNA aptamers with antiviral activity against highly conserved structural domains of the HIV-1 and HCV RNA genome, respectively, performed in our laboratory. They are two good examples that illustrate the potential of the aptamers to fill the therapeutic gaps in the fight against RNA viruses.

Highlights

The current global pandemic caused by SARS-Cov-2 has revealed the fragility of our global health security system
The nucleotide sequence stores essential information in highly conserved structural domains composed of discrete structural units (Figure 1) [1]
RNA genomes are multifunctional molecules: they act as a replication template, they act as mRNAs, and behave as true non-coding RNAs, playing several essential functions for the viral cycle and the regulation of viral processes [1]

Summary

Introduction

The current global pandemic caused by SARS-Cov-2 has revealed the fragility of our global health security system. The nucleotide sequence stores essential information in highly conserved structural domains composed of discrete structural units (Figure 1) [1]. This information storage system overlaps and complements the protein coding information. RNA genomes are multifunctional molecules: they act as a replication template, they act as mRNAs, and behave as true non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), playing several essential functions for the viral cycle and the regulation of viral processes [1]. IInnddeeppeennddeennttllyy ooff tthhee aapppplliiccaattiioonn ooff tthhee aappttaammeerrss aanndd tthhee nnaattuurree ooff tthheeiirr ttaarrggeett,, aallll rreeppoorrtteedd aappttaammeerrss hhaavvee bbeeeenn iiddeennttiififieedd ffoolllloowwiinngg aa ccoommmmoonn eexxppeerriimmeennttaall ssttrraatteeggyy kknnoowwnn aass SSEELLEEXX [[55,,1188]],, wwhhiicchh iiss oouuttlliinneedd iinn FFiigguurree 22. It has been shown that aptamers may bind the ligand molecule with efficiencies that even may exceed that of antibodies for their antigens [19]

Aptamer Features

Antiviral Aptamers

Findings

Conclusions