title: siRNAs: potential therapeutic agents against hepatitis C virus.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus is a major cause of chronic liver diseases which can lead to permanent liver damage, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. The presently available treatment with interferon plus ribavirin, has limited benefits due to adverse side effects such as anemia, depression and "flu-like" symptoms. Needless to mention, the effectiveness of interferon therapy is predominantly, if not exclusively, limited to virus type 3a and 3b whereas in Europe and North America the majority of viral type is 1a and 2a. Due to the limited efficiency of current therapy, RNA interference (RNAi) a novel regulatory and powerful silencing approach for molecular therapeutics through a sequence-specific RNA degradation process represents an alternative option. Several reports have indicated the efficiency and specificity of synthetic and vector based siRNAs inhibiting HCV replication. In the present review, we focused that combination of siRNAs against virus and host genes will be a better option to treat HCV.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medicine, National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. usmancemb@gmail.com
authors.forename: Usman A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Ashfaq
authors.forename: Muhammad Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Yousaf
authors.forename: Maida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aslam
authors.forename: Rahat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ejaz
authors.forename: Shah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jahan
authors.forename: Obaid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ullah
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering