An siRNA against JC virus (JCV) agnoprotein inhibits JCV infection in JCV-producing cells inoculated in nude mice

Neuropathology. 2008 Jun;28(3):286-94. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1789.2007.00878.x. Epub 2007 Dec 21.

Abstract

JC virus (JCV) is the etiological agent of the demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Because JCV has a very narrow host range, it has been difficult to develop an animal model of JCV infection; as a result, no effective therapy for PML has been established. In this study, we have tried to create an animal model that replaces an in vivo JCV infection. As a result, we have obtained a stable persistence of JCV-infected human cells in the mouse brain by inoculating the virus-infected cells into the nude mice brains. In this model, the JCV-infected cells were well preserved in the nude mouse brains for 2 weeks. We then treated JCV-injected brains with an siRNA against the JCV agnoprotein that is known to be an effective inhibitor of JCV infection in vitro. A highly purified type I collagen, atelocollagen, was used as a carrier for the siRNA. The siRNA inhibited the expression of JCV protein in inoculated JCV-infected cells in the mouse brain, compared to the medium containing only atelocollagen used as a placebo. Thus, the combination of siRNA and atelocollagen might be a candidate therapeutic agent for the treatment of JCV infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Collagen / administration & dosage
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • JC Virus / genetics
  • Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal / therapy
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Polyomavirus Infections / therapy*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / administration & dosage*
  • Tumor Virus Infections / therapy*
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
  • agnoprotein, polyomavirus
  • atelocollagen
  • Collagen