Nucleic Acid-Based Treatments Against COVID-19: Potential Efficacy of Aptamers and siRNAs
Despite significant efforts, there are currently no approved treatments for COVID-19. However, biotechnological approaches appear to be promising in the treatment of the disease. Accordingly, nucleic acid-based treatments including aptamers and siRNAs are candidates that might be effective in COVID-...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.758948/full |
| _version_ | 1818922090189815808 |
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| author | Javad Khanali Mohammadreza Azangou-Khyavy Yasaman Asaadi Monire Jamalkhah Monire Jamalkhah Jafar Kiani |
| author_facet | Javad Khanali Mohammadreza Azangou-Khyavy Yasaman Asaadi Monire Jamalkhah Monire Jamalkhah Jafar Kiani |
| author_sort | Javad Khanali |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite significant efforts, there are currently no approved treatments for COVID-19. However, biotechnological approaches appear to be promising in the treatment of the disease. Accordingly, nucleic acid-based treatments including aptamers and siRNAs are candidates that might be effective in COVID-19 treatment. Aptamers can hamper entry and replication stages of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, while siRNAs can cleave the viral genomic and subgenomic RNAs to inhibit the viral life cycle and reduce viral loads. As a conjugated molecule, aptamer–siRNA chimeras have proven to be dual-functioning antiviral therapy, acting both as virus-neutralizing and replication-interfering agents as well as being a siRNA targeted delivery approach. Previous successful applications of these compounds against various stages of the pathogenesis of diseases and viral infections, besides their advantages over other alternatives, might provide sufficient rationale for the application of these nucleic acid-based drugs against the SARS-CoV-2. However, none of them are devoid of limitations. Here, the literature was reviewed to assess the plausibility of using aptamers, siRNAs, and aptamer–siRNA chimeras against the SARS-CoV-2 based on their previously established effectiveness, and discussing challenges lie in applying these molecules. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:48:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7e4f89db29b8400abb79b0b40c66dfea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:48:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-7e4f89db29b8400abb79b0b40c66dfea2022-12-21T19:57:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2021-11-011210.3389/fmicb.2021.758948758948Nucleic Acid-Based Treatments Against COVID-19: Potential Efficacy of Aptamers and siRNAsJavad Khanali0Mohammadreza Azangou-Khyavy1Yasaman Asaadi2Monire Jamalkhah3Monire Jamalkhah4Jafar Kiani5School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDepartment of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, IranDepartment of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDepartment of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDespite significant efforts, there are currently no approved treatments for COVID-19. However, biotechnological approaches appear to be promising in the treatment of the disease. Accordingly, nucleic acid-based treatments including aptamers and siRNAs are candidates that might be effective in COVID-19 treatment. Aptamers can hamper entry and replication stages of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, while siRNAs can cleave the viral genomic and subgenomic RNAs to inhibit the viral life cycle and reduce viral loads. As a conjugated molecule, aptamer–siRNA chimeras have proven to be dual-functioning antiviral therapy, acting both as virus-neutralizing and replication-interfering agents as well as being a siRNA targeted delivery approach. Previous successful applications of these compounds against various stages of the pathogenesis of diseases and viral infections, besides their advantages over other alternatives, might provide sufficient rationale for the application of these nucleic acid-based drugs against the SARS-CoV-2. However, none of them are devoid of limitations. Here, the literature was reviewed to assess the plausibility of using aptamers, siRNAs, and aptamer–siRNA chimeras against the SARS-CoV-2 based on their previously established effectiveness, and discussing challenges lie in applying these molecules.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.758948/fullaptamerCOVID-19RNA interferenceaptamer–siRNA chimerasiRNAvirus neutralization |
| spellingShingle | Javad Khanali Mohammadreza Azangou-Khyavy Yasaman Asaadi Monire Jamalkhah Monire Jamalkhah Jafar Kiani Nucleic Acid-Based Treatments Against COVID-19: Potential Efficacy of Aptamers and siRNAs Frontiers in Microbiology aptamer COVID-19 RNA interference aptamer–siRNA chimera siRNA virus neutralization |
| title | Nucleic Acid-Based Treatments Against COVID-19: Potential Efficacy of Aptamers and siRNAs |
| title_full | Nucleic Acid-Based Treatments Against COVID-19: Potential Efficacy of Aptamers and siRNAs |
| title_fullStr | Nucleic Acid-Based Treatments Against COVID-19: Potential Efficacy of Aptamers and siRNAs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nucleic Acid-Based Treatments Against COVID-19: Potential Efficacy of Aptamers and siRNAs |
| title_short | Nucleic Acid-Based Treatments Against COVID-19: Potential Efficacy of Aptamers and siRNAs |
| title_sort | nucleic acid based treatments against covid 19 potential efficacy of aptamers and sirnas |
| topic | aptamer COVID-19 RNA interference aptamer–siRNA chimera siRNA virus neutralization |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.758948/full |
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