Genome-wide application of RNAi to the discovery of potential drug targets.
Progress is being made in the development of RNA interference-based (RNAi-based) strategies for the control of gene expression. It has been demonstrated that small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can silence the expression of target genes in a sequence-specific manner in mammalian cells. Various groups, including our own, have developed systems for vector-mediated specific RNAi. Vector-based siRNA- (or shRNA) expression libraries directed against the entire human genome and siRNA libraries based on chemically synthesized oligonucleotides now allow the rapid identification of functional genes and potential drug targets. Use of such libraries will enhance our understanding of numerous biological phenomena and contribute to the rational design of drugs against heritable, infectious and malignant diseases.
Ito
Masanori
M
Gene Function Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba Science City 305-8562, Japan.
Kawano
Kenji
K
Miyagishi
Makoto
M
Taira
Kazunari
K
D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D015195:Drug Design; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015723:Gene Library; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism
D034741:RNA, Small Interfering