title: Targeting microRNA-122: walking on cutting edge of hepatitis C virus infection therapy.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with an estimated 170 million carriers worldwide, remains a major cause of chronic liver disease. Current anti-HCV treatments have significant side effects and have met with only partial success. Therefore, a more effective therapeutic modality for HCV infection is needed. The stability and propagation of HCV is dependent on the interaction between its genome and a highly abundant liver microRNA (miRNA), known as microRNA-122 (miR-122). As a conserved host factor that would not be expected to evolve resistance mutations, miR-122 makes an attractive antiviral target. In this review we will discuss how targeting miR-122, using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), can be a new anti-HCV treatment.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motavaf
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Safari
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D018390:Gene Targeting; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: C531907:MIRN122 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016372:RNA, Antisense