Both antisense and sense RNAs against the nucleocapsid protein gene inhibit the multiplication of mouse hepatitis virus.

DBT cells and several transfected cell lines which express antisense or sense RNA against the nucleocapsid protein gene of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) were examined for the yields of MHV. The transfected cells showed 95 and 99% reduction of virus yield at 9 and 12 hr postinfection (p.i.) as compared with untransfected DBT cells. A remarkable decrease in MHV-specific RNA synthesis was observed in both transfected cell lines at 3.5 hr p.i. The result suggested that both antisense and sense RNAs inhibited viral replication at the initial stage of infection.