RNA interference blocks gene expression and RNA synthesis from hepatitis C replicons propagated in human liver cells

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Mar 4;100(5):2783-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.252758799. Epub 2003 Feb 19.

Abstract

RNA interference represents an exciting new technology that could have therapeutic applications for the treatment of viral infections. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease and affects >270 million individuals worldwide. The HCV genome is a single-stranded RNA that functions as both a messenger RNA and replication template, making it an attractive target for the study of RNA interference. Double-stranded small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules designed to target the HCV genome were introduced through electroporation into a human hepatoma cell line (Huh-7) that contained an HCV subgenomic replicon. Two siRNAs dramatically reduced virus-specific protein expression and RNA synthesis to levels that were 90% less than those seen in cells treated with negative control siRNAs. These same siRNAs protected naive Huh-7 cells from challenge with HCV replicon RNA. Treatment of cells with synthetic siRNA was effective >72 h, but the duration of RNA interference could be extended beyond 3 weeks through stable expression of complementary strands of the interfering RNA by using a bicistronic expression vector. These results suggest that a gene-therapeutic approach with siRNA could ultimately be used to treat HCV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Electroporation
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Hepatitis C / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Liver / cytology*
  • Models, Genetic
  • Mutation
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • RNA / metabolism*
  • RNA Interference*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / physiology*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics*
  • Time Factors
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Virus Replication / genetics
  • Virus Replication / physiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA, Viral
  • RNA