Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the primary pathogen of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) in children and virus infections are associated with severe neurological dysfunctions and even death. MIR2911 is a honeysuckle-encoded atypical microRNA with extreme stability. Here, we report that MIR2911 directly inhibits EV71 replication by targeting the VP1 gene. Bioinformatics prediction and luciferase reporter assay showed that MIR2911 could target the VP1 gene of EV71. Transfection experiments using synthetic MIR2911 and extracted RNA from HS decoction shown that each of these preparations was capable of inhibiting EV71 VP1 protein expression; however, these preparations did not impact EV71 mutants in which the MIR2911-binding sites were mutated. Furthermore, EV71 replication was increased by antagomirs against MIR2911 in the HS decoction, implying that MIR2911 was physiologically functional in controlling EV71 replication in vitro. These results indicated that, by targeting VP1 gene, MIR2911 may effectively inhibit EV71 replication. Our results also provide a potential novel strategy on the therapy and/or prevention of HFMD originating from EV71 virus infection.

肠道病毒71（EV71）是儿童手足口病（HFMD）的主要病原体，病毒感染与严重的神经功能障碍甚至死亡有关。MIR2911是金银花编码的非典型microRNA，具有极高的稳定性。在这里，我们报告说，MIR2911通过靶向VP1基因直接抑制EV71复制。生物信息学预测和荧光素酶报告基因检测表明，MIR2911可以靶向EV71的VP1基因。使用合成MIR2911和从HS汤中提取的RNA进行的转染实验表明，这些制剂均能够抑制EV71 VP1蛋白的表达。但是，这些制备方法不影响其中MIR2911结合位点发生突变的EV71突变体。此外，HS汤中抗MIR2911的抗癌药增加了EV71的复制，体外。这些结果表明，通过靶向VP1基因，MIR2911可以有效抑制EV71复制。我们的结果也为治疗和/或预防源自EV71病毒感染的HFMD提供了潜在的新策略。