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Therapeutic potential of RNA interference: a new molecular approach to antiviral treatment for hepatitis C
Author(s) -
Motavaf M.,
Safari S.,
Alavian S. M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1111/jvh.12006
Subject(s) - rna , rna interference , hepatitis c virus , rna silencing , virology , gene silencing , virus , biology , microrna , computational biology , gene , genetics
Summary Hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) infection remains a major cause of chronic liver disease with an estimated 170 million carriers worldwide. Current treatments have significant side effects and have met with only partial success. Therefore, alternative antiviral drugs that efficiently block virus production are needed. During recent decades, RNA interference ( RNA i) technology has not only become a powerful tool for functional genomics but also represents a new therapeutic approach for treating human diseases including viral infections. RNA i is a sequence‐specific and post‐transcriptional gene silencing process mediated by double‐stranded RNA (ds RNA ). As the HCV genome is a single‐stranded RNA that functions as both a messenger RNA ( mRNA ) and replication template, it is an attractive target for the study of RNA i‐based viral therapies. In this review, we will give a brief overview about the history and current status of RNA i and focus on its potential application as a therapeutic option for treatment for HCV infection.