title: Oligonucleotide-based therapeutic options against hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the cause of a silent pandemic that, due to the chronic nature of the disease and the absence of curative therapy, continues to claim an ever-increasing number of lives. Current antiviral regimens have proven largely unsatisfactory for patients with HCV drug-resistant genotypes. It is therefore important to explore alternative therapeutic stratagems whose mode of action allows them to bypass viral resistance. Antisense oligonucleotides, ribozymes, small interfering RNAs, aptamers and deoxyribozymes constitute classes of oligonucleotide-based compounds designed to target highly conserved or functionally crucial regions contained within the HCV genome. The therapeutic expectation for such compounds is the elimination of HCV from infected individuals. Progress in oligonucleotide-based HCV antivirals towards clinical application depends on development of nucleotide designs that bolster efficacy while minimizing toxicity, improvement in liver-targeting delivery systems, and refinement of small-animal models for preclinical testing.
authors.affiliation: Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Janie B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Trepanier
authors.forename: Jerome E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alfieri
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012367:RNA, Viral