Application of RNA interference for inhibiting the replication of feline immunodeficiency virus in chronically infected cell lines

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology Vol. 120; no. 3; pp. 207 - 216
• Main Authors: Baba, Kenji, Mizukoshi, Fuminori, Goto-Koshino, Yuko, Setoguchi-Mukai, Asuka, Fujino, Yasuhito, Ohno, Koichi, Tsujimoto, Hajime
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 10.03.2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cat Diseases - prevention & control; Cat Diseases - virology; Cats; Cell Line; cell lines; crossover interference; DNA Primers - chemistry; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; feline acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Feline immunodeficiency virus; fibroblasts; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene therapy; Genes, gag - genetics; genetic vectors; Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline - drug effects; Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline - physiology; Lentivirus Infections - prevention & control; Lentivirus Infections - veterinary; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Retroviridae - physiology; Retrovirus vector; RNA; RNA Interference; RNA, Small Interfering - chemistry; RNA, Small Interfering - pharmacology; Short hairpin RNA; Small interfering RNA; Time Factors; transfection; Transfection - veterinary; Virology; virus replication; Virus Replication - drug effects; Small interfering RNA; Feline immunodeficiency virus; Short hairpin RNA; Retrovirus vector; Microbiology; Retroviridae; Lentivirus; Virus; Gene silencing; Cell line; Replication; Infected cell; Veterinary; Vector
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2006.10.033

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which double-stranded RNA induces the post-transcriptional sequence-specific degradation of homologous messenger RNA. The present study was carried out to apply the RNAi technology to inhibit the replication of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Four small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) homologous to the FIV gag gene were synthesized and transfected into a feline fibroblastic cell line chronically infected with FIV (CRFK/FIV). These synthetic siRNAs efficiently inhibited the replication of FIV. Next, we examined the effect of retroviral vector-mediated transfer of FIV-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) on the replication of FIV in a feline T-cell line chronically infected with FIV (FL4). The retroviral vector-mediated transfer of FIV-specific shRNA was shown to markedly inhibit the replication of FIV in the FL4 cells. These results provide useful information for the development of RNAi-based gene therapy strategy to control FIV infection.