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To the Editor: A novel coronavirus has been identified as the etiologic agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS),^1-3 for which there is no specific treatment. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are double-stranded RNAs that direct sequence-specific degradation of messenger RNA in mammalian cells.⁴ It is also possible, however, that siRNAs could specifically interfere with viral RNA.

Methods

We designed six 21-mer SARSis (siRNAs [GENSET SA Ltd, Paris, France] targeting different sites of the replicase 1A region of the SARS coronavirus [SARS-CoV] genome; siRNA sequences in the senses strands: GUGAACUCACUCGUGAGCUCdTdT [SARSi-1]; GUACCCUCUUGAUUGCAUCdTdT [SARSi-2]; GAGUCGAAGAGAGGUGUCUdTdT [SARSi-3]; GCACUUGUCUACCUUGAUGdTdT [SARSi-4]; CCUCCAGAUGAGGAAGAAGdTdT [SARSi-5]; and GGUGUUUCCAUUCCAUGUGdTdT [SARSi-6]). We then performed 3 in vitro experiments to test their antiviral effects. In the first, we transfected monkey kidney cells (FRhk-4) with 1 of the 6 siRNAs. In addition to these 6 groups of cells, we also created 2 groups of control cells—1 transfected with an unrelated siRNA targeting luciferase . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Ming-Liang He, PhD; Bojian Zheng, MD, PhD; Ying Peng, MD, PhD; Joseph S. M. Peiris, PhD; Leo L. M. Poon, PhD; Kwok Y. Yuen, MD, PhD; Marie C. M. Lin, PhD; Hsiang-fu Kung, PhD; Yi Guan, PhD
University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, China

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