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RNA and CRISPR Interferences: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives

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RNA Interference and CRISPR Technologies

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2115))

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi), a natural gene silencing process, is a widely used technique in basic research, preclinical studies, and drug development strategies. Although the technique has great potential to generate new human therapies and treat undruggable diseases, the clinical application of RNAi is still challenging primarily because of the delivery problem and potential off-target effects. Over the past two decades, great efforts have been undertaken to develop delivery agents and chemical modifications to overcome these challenges. Such advances in RNA delivery and chemical modifications have benefited researchers who are developing gene-editing therapies based on CRISPR-Cas9, an RNA-guided endonuclease, which is already having a major impact on biology and medicine. Here, I review the discovery of these two interference tools, identify the technical challenges yet to be overcome and provide some perspectives on how these two RNA-based technologies can be harnessed to treat human diseases.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Norwegian Cancer Society.

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  1. Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway

    Mouldy Sioud

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Correspondence to Mouldy Sioud .

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  1. Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway

    Mouldy Sioud

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Sioud, M. (2020). RNA and CRISPR Interferences: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives. In: Sioud, M. (eds) RNA Interference and CRISPR Technologies. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2115. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0290-4_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0290-4_1

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