Dengue virus-free defective interfering particles have potent and broad anti-dengue virus activity

Commun Biol. 2021 May 11;4(1):557. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02064-7.

Abstract

Dengue virus (DENV) is spread from human to human through the bite of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito and leads to about 100 million clinical infections yearly. Treatment options and vaccine availability for DENV are limited. Defective interfering particles (DIPs) are considered a promising antiviral approach but infectious virus contamination has limited their development. Here, a DENV-derived DIP production cell line was developed that continuously produced DENV-free DIPs. The DIPs contained and could deliver to cells a DENV serotype 2 subgenomic defective-interfering RNA, which was originally discovered in DENV infected patients. The DIPs released into cell culture supernatant were purified and could potently inhibit replication of all DENV serotypes in cells. Antiviral therapeutics are limited for many viral infection. The DIP system described could be re-purposed to make antiviral DIPs for many other RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, yellow fever, West Nile and Zika viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Defective Viruses* / genetics
  • Defective Viruses* / metabolism
  • Dengue / prevention & control*
  • Dengue / virology
  • Dengue Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Dengue Virus / genetics
  • Dengue Virus / growth & development*
  • Dengue Virus / metabolism
  • Genes, Reporter
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Humans
  • Luminescent Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • RNA, Viral / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Vero Cells
  • Viral Load
  • Virus Replication*

Substances

  • Dengue Vaccines
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • RNA, Viral