Potential applications of siRNA in hepatitis C virus therapy

Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2006 Feb;7(2):142-6.

Abstract

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are short RNA duplexes approximately 21 nucleotides long. When introduced into mammalian cells, siRNA can silence specific gene expression. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicates in the cytoplasm of liver cells without integration into the host genome. Because the HCV genome is a single-stranded RNA that functions both as a messenger RNA and as a viral replication template, destruction of HCV RNA could eliminate not only virally directed protein synthesis, but also viral replication. It has been demonstrated that siRNAs interfere with HCV gene expression and replication, and this review will describe the use of RNAi as a tool to inhibit HCV gene expression.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Viral*
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Hepacivirus / genetics*
  • Hepacivirus / metabolism
  • Hepatitis C / genetics
  • Hepatitis C / metabolism
  • Hepatitis C / therapy*
  • Humans
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / therapeutic use*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • RNA, Viral / metabolism
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA, Viral