Aurintricarboxylic Acid Decreases RNA Toxicity in a C. elegans Model of Repeat Expansions

Pathologic expansions of DNA nucleotide tandem repeats may generate toxic RNA that triggers disease phenotypes. RNA toxicity is the hallmark of multiple expansion repeat disorders, including myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). To date, there are no available disease-modifying therapies for DM1. Our aim was to use drug repositioning to ameliorate the phenotype of affected individuals in a nematode model of DM1. As the RNA interference pathway plays a key role in mediating RNA toxicity, we investigated the effect of aurintricarboxylic acid. We demonstrated that by perturbing the RNA interference machinery using aurintricarboxylic acid, we could annihilate the RNA toxicity and ameliorate the phenotype. As our approach targets a universal disease mechanism, it is potentially relevant for more expansion repeat disorders.

Determination of Protonation Constants of Viral Inhibitor, Aurintricarboxylic Acid in SDS and CTAB Micellar Media: A Potentiometric Study

Protonation constants of a viral inhibitor, aurintricarboxylic acid were determined using potentiometric method of data acquisition followed by chemometric modelling methods of analysis in the presence of two different kinds of micellar media, CTAB, a cationic micelle and SDS, an anionic micelle. MINIQUAD75 program was used for the determination of the plausible species and their corresponding formation constants at 303 ± 0.1 K and 0.01 M ionic strength. Five formation constants were identified corresponding to five ionizable hydrogens. Species concentration distribution diagrams were generated using Origin software. Best-fit chemical models were selected on the basis of statistical parameters like standard deviation (SD), U (sum of the squares of the residuals in mass balance equations) and chi-square test. It was found that the formation constants are lower in CTAB micellar medium while there is no significant change in the presence of SDS compared to aqueous medium.

Inhibition of Orbivirus Replication by Aurintricarboxylic Acid

Bluetongue virus (BTV) and African horse sickness virus (AHSV) are vector-borne viruses belonging to the Orbivirus genus, which are transmitted between hosts primarily by biting midges of the genus Culicoides. With recent BTV and AHSV outbreaks causing epidemics and important economy losses, there is a pressing need for efficacious drugs to treat and control the spread of these infections. The polyanionic aromatic compound aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) has been shown to have a broad-spectrum antiviral activity. Here, we evaluated ATA as a potential antiviral compound against Orbivirus infections in both mammalian and insect cells. Notably, ATA was able to prevent the replication of BTV and AHSV in both cell types in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In addition, we evaluated the effect of ATA in vivo using a mouse model of infection. ATA did not protect mice against a lethal challenge with BTV or AHSV, most probably due to the in vivo effect of ATA on immune system regulation. Overall, these results demonstrate that ATA has inhibitory activity against Orbivirus replication in vitro, but further in vivo analysis will be required before considering it as a potential therapy for future clinical evaluation.