NUCLEASE-RESISTANT RNA APTAMER INHIBITING REPLICATION OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS REPLICON

摘要

A nuclease resistant RNA aptamer for hepatitis C virus(HCV) NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is provided to inhibit HCV replication in human hepatoma cell lines, be useful for diagnosing and treating HCV and be used as a tool for studying the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. A nuclease-resistant RNA aptamer comprises at least one sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID : NOs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, in which a fluoro group is substituted for 2' hydroxy of both U(uracil) and C(cytosine) bases, and SEQ ID : NO. 4, which is tagged with a cholesteryl group at a 5' end and with idT(inverted deoxy thymidylate) at a 3' end and is characterized in that it is specifically binding to HCV NS5B and inhibits the proliferation of an HCV replicon. A kit for diagnosing HCV comprises at least one RNA aptamer and diagnoses the HCV infection by detecting the specific binding of the RNA aptamer to HCV NS5B. An inhibitor of HCV comprises at least one of the RNA aptamer and is characterized in that it is specifically binding to the HCV NS5B and inhibits proliferation of an HCV replicon.