The "Trojan horse" model-delivery of anti-HBV small interfering RNAs by a recombinant HBV vector

Amir Shlomai, Yoav Lubelsky, Ofir Har-Noy, Yosef Shaul

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a small virus that infects the liver. The major obstacle in applying the RNA interference method as an anti-HBV weapon is the challenge to deliver the small interfering RNA molecules to the liver efficiently and specifically. Here we show that HBV-specific short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) are efficiently expressed from a recombinant HBV into which an shRNA-expressing cassette was inserted, resulting in a significant knock-down of HBV gene expression. Notably, this recombinant HBV still expresses the HBV Core protein, which is targeted by the shRNAs produced by the same vector. Our results set the stage for further use of this recombinant HBV virus with the potential to function as a "Trojan horse"; one that specifically targets the liver and uses the resident virus as an helper for its own propagation, and at the same time eliminate itself and the resident HBV by knocking-down their gene expression.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)619-623
Number of pages5
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume390
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 18 Dec 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Hepatitis B virus
  • RNAi
  • Recombinant virus
  • shRNA

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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