Effective inhibition of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) replication in vitro by vector-delivered microRNAs targeting the 3D gene

Effective inhibition of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) replication in vitro by vector-delivered microRNAs targeting the 3D gene

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Abstract Background Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) causes an economically important and highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals.RNAi triggered by small RNA molecules, including siRNAs and miRNAs, offers a new approach for controlling viral infections.There is no report available for FMDV inhibition by vector-delivered miRNA, although miRNA is believed to have more potential than siRNA.In this study, the inhibitory effects of vector-delivered miRNAs targeting the 3D gene on FMDV replication were examined.Results Four pairs of oligonucleotides encoding 3D-specific miRNA of FMDV were designed and selected for construction of Skort/Skirt miRNA expression plasmids.

In the reporter assays, two of four miRNA expression plasmids were able to significantly silence the expression of 3D-GFP fusion proteins from the reporter plasmid, p3D-GFP, which was cotransfected with each miRNA expression plasmid.After detecting the silencing effects of the reporter genes, the inhibitory effects of FMDV replication were determined in the miRNA expression plasmid-transfected and FMDV-infected cells.Virus titration and real-time RT-PCR assays showed that the p3D715-miR and p3D983-miR plasmids were able to potently inhibit the replication of FMDV Gift Cards when BHK-21 cells were infected with FMDV.Conclusion Our results indicated that vector-delivered miRNAs targeting the 3D gene efficiently inhibits FMDV replication in vitro.This finding provides evidence that miRNAs could be used as a potential tool against FMDV infection.