2-5A-DNA conjugate inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus replication: effects of oligonucleotide structure modifications and RNA target site selection

To define more fully the conditions for 2-5A-antisense inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), relationships between 2-5A antisense oligonucleotide structure and the choice of RNA target sites to inhibition of RSV replication have been explored. The lead 2-5A-antisense chimera for this study was the previously reported NIH8281 that targets the RSV M2 RNA. We have confirmed and extended the earlier study by showing that NIH8281 inhibited RSV strain A2 replication in a variety of antiviral assays, including virus yield reduction assays performed in monkey (EC 90=0.02 μM) and human cells (EC 90=1 μM). This 2-5A-antisense chimera also inhibited other A strains, B strains and bovine RSV in cytopathic effect inhibition and Neutral Red Assays (EC 50 values=0.1–1.6 μM). The 2′- O-methylation modification of NIH8281 to increase affinity for the complementary RNA and provide nuclease resistance, the introduction of phosphothioate groups in the antisense backbone to enhance resistance to exo- and endonucleases, and the addition of cholesterol to the 3′-terminus of the antisense oligonucleotide to increase cellular uptake, all resulted in loss of activity. Of the antisense chimeras targeting other RSV mRNAs (NS1, NS2, P, M. G, F, and L), only those complementary to L mRNA were inhibitory. These results suggest that lower abundance mRNAs may be the best targets for 2-5A-antisense; moreover, the active 2-5A antisense chimeras in this study may serve as useful guides for the development of compounds with improved stability, uptake and anti-RSV activity.