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Progress in RNAi-Based Antiviral Therapeutics

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Antiviral RNAi

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 721))

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) refers to the conserved sequence-specific degradation of message RNA mediated by small interfering (si)RNA duplexes 21–25 nucleotides in length. Given the ability to specifically silence any gene of interest, siRNAs offers several advantages over conventional drugs as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of human maladies including cancers, genetic disorders, and infectious diseases. Antiviral RNAi strategies have received much attention and several compounds are currently being tested in clinical trials. In particular, the development of siRNA-based HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) therapeutics has progressed rapidly and many recent studies have shown that the use of RNAi could inhibit HIV-1 replication by targeting a number of viral or cellular genes. Therefore, the present chapter mainly focuses on the recent progress of RNAi-based anti-HIV gene therapeutics, with particular attention to molecular targets and delivery strategies of the siRNAs.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA

    John J. Rossi

Authors
  1. Jiehua Zhou
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  2. John J. Rossi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to John J. Rossi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inst. for Infection, Inflammation & Immu, Dept. Medical Microbiology, Radboud Univ.Nijmegen Medical Ctr, Geert Grooteplein 28, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, Netherlands

    Ronald P. van Rij

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© 2011 Humana Press

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Zhou, J., Rossi, J.J. (2011). Progress in RNAi-Based Antiviral Therapeutics. In: van Rij, R. (eds) Antiviral RNAi. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 721. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-037-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-037-9_4

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-036-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-037-9

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