RNA interference as an antiviral approach: targeting HIV-1.
RNA interference (RNAi) is an evolutionary conserved gene-silencing mechanism in which 21- to 23-mer double-stranded short interfering RNA (siRNA) mediates the sequence-specific degradation of mRNA. The recent discovery that exogenously delivered siRNA can trigger RNAi in mammalian cells raises the possibility of using this technology as a therapeutic tool against pathogenic viruses. This review describes the antiviral RNAi field, which is barely two years-old, with an emphasis on recent studies aimed at suppression of HIV-1.
Berkhout
Ben
B
University of Amsterdam, Department of Human Retrovirology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. b.berkhout@amc.uva.nl
D000818:Animals; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D034741:RNA, Small Interfering