| Abstract [eng] |
Currently used medications against influenza do not always prevent the complications of the disease, and the increasing number of drug-resistant influenza virus subtypes is observed. Therefore, new drugs are needed to prevent the direct cytopathic effect of virus and suppress the inflammatory mediators. The aim of this study - to evaluate if zanamivir and/or antisense oligonucleotide against inducible nitric oxide synthase prevents influenza viral pneumonia. During the experiment, the mice were infected with the influenza virus and treated with zanamivir, antisense oligonucleotide against iNOS or a combination of both. The mice were weighed daily. After 3-5 days, the mice were killed, the lung excised, the bronchoalveolar lavage was performed for the nitrite determination. Mouse lung histological analyse was performed and the relative level of influenza RNA, cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α and iNOS iRNA was assessed by the RT-PCR. The study demonstrated several new findings. First, that treatment with zanamivir posesses the early capacity to suppress NO synthesis in mouse lungs after influenza infection. Second, that treatment with antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to iNOS mRNA can reduce lung inflammation caused by influenza virus infection in mice, and its combination with zanamivir has clinical benefit; thus, this treatment approach could be a potential new option in the treatment of influenza virus infection. |
