Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Identification of ICAM-1–targeting DNA aptamers as a host-directed strategy to inhibit Human Rhinovirus infection

doi: 10.64898/2026.04.20.717810

Figure Lengend Snippet: A. Schematic representation of the infection experiment to assess the ability of aptamers to block rhinovirus infection. Aptamers (I4, I5 and I8) were tested at doses of 1 and 0.1 µM. As positive control, for assessing viral inhibition, a VP1 inhibitor (Pleconaril, pleco) was also included. H1-HeLa cells were pre-treated with aptamers for 7 minutes and next the infection with HRV-A16 (MOI 0.1) was performed. After 1 hours, the inoculum was removed and infection was allowed to proceed for 72 hours at 33°C. Infectious virus released into the supernatant was quantified by TCID₅₀ assay (B), and viral RNA levels were measured (C). B. Normalized viral titers (%), expressed relative to vehicle (100%) and mock (0%) (mean ± SEM). C. Viral RNA levels assessed by RT-PCR using HRV-specific primers. Data are shown as 2 -ΔCt . Statistical significance was determined by ordinary one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s multiple comparison correction vs vehicle.

Article Snippet: HRV-A16 (Human Rhinovirus A 16) strain 11757 was purchased from ATCC (LGC, Italy, cat. n°: VR-283).

Techniques: Infection, Blocking Assay, Positive Control, Inhibition, Virus, Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction, Comparison