RNAi-based knockdown of HBx mRNA in HBx-transformed and HBV-producing human liver cells

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RNAi-based knockdown of HBx mRNA in HBx-transformed and HBV-producing human liver cells
2006 Jul
Kim YH, Lee JH, Paik NW, Rho HM.
DNA Cell Biol.
RNA interference (RNAi) is the process of sequence-specific gene silencing induced by 21-23-nt RNA of small interfering RNA (siRNA). The HBx of hepatitis B virus (HBV) causing human liver diseases has been known as a multifunctional protein which affects transcription, cell growth, and apoptotic cell death. Here, we demonstrate that the HBx-specific siRNA (siRNAx) and short hairpin RNA (shRNAx) effectively induce the degradation of HBx mRNA in HBx-transformed and HBV-producing human liver cells by up to 80-90%. Also, the HBx expression in HBx-transformed cells was continuously silenced by retransformation with the shRNAx expression vector. These results imply that HBx-driven RNAi, either delivery of siRNAx or expression of shRNAx, provides a promising anti-HBV approach to suppress the HBx expression in human hepatoma cells.
PMID: 16848683 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]