Deborah Palliser was surprised at how easily RNAi could be delivered as a vaginal microbicide. "It was taken up all through the tissue," she said. "Nobody knows how that happens." |
RNAi solution knocks down herpes infectionEver since RNA interference hit the scene a few years ago as a way to selectively turn off gene expression, researchers have been investigating whether these small but powerful bits of RNA can be used as therapies. The problem has been delivery - how to get the RNA into the cell where it can silence gene expression. A study in the Nov. 23, 2005 Nature showcases a novel therapeutic approach for RNAi - as a vaginal microbicide that can reduce genital herpes virus infection in mice. The result of a collaboration between the labs of Judy Lieberman and David Knipe, the study shows that small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can be readily taken up by mucosal surfaces of the body and reduce viral infection. |
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