Antiviral Activity of Nanocomplexes of Antisense Oligonucleotides Targeting VP72 Protein in Vero Cells Infected by African Swine Fever Virus

Antiviral activity of antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides with phosphorothioate or mesyl phosphoramidate internucleotidic groups targeting the main capsid protein VP72 mRNA of the African swine fever virus (ASFV), either in a free form with Lipofectamine 3000 transfection or in the form of ionic complexes with amino-modified mesoporous silicon dioxide nanoparticles, has been evaluated in Vero cells infected with ASFV. Relatively high cytotoxicity of oligonucleotide nanocomplexes for Vero cells at concentrations above 500 nM was detected. Two sequences of antisense oligonucleotides were identified, which reduced the virus titer by an order of magnitude at 500 nM. The antiviral effect of nanocomplexes exceeded that of free oligonucleotides in the presence of Lipofectamine 3000, which indicates a more efficient delivery of nanocomplexes to the cells. Antisense oligonucleotides able to reduce the replication of ASFV were hitherto unknown from the literature. The obtained data can be used as a starting point for further research on the development of oligonucleotide-based antiviral drugs against the African swine fever virus.