title: Short interfering RNA-directed inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication.
abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) is the process by which double-stranded RNA directs sequence-specific degradation of mRNA. In mammalian cells, RNAi can be triggered by 21-nucleotide duplexes of short interfering RNA (siRNA). We examined effects of siRNA on hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. Human hepatoma cells were transfected with HBV DNA and siRNA against HBV-pregenome RNA. Transfection experiments demonstrated that the siRNA reduced the amount of HBV-pregenome RNA and resulted in reduction of the levels of replicative intermediates and viral protein. Our results indicate that siRNA-mediated gene silencing inhibits HBV replication through suppression of viral RNA, which may be useful as a potential therapeutic modality.
authors.affiliation: The First Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, 852-8501, Nagasaki, Japan. f1072@cc.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamasaki
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Kojiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Tatsuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eguchi
mesh_terms: D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003470:Culture Media; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D012367:RNA, Viral