RNA interference

Over the past decade “RNA interference” has emerged as a natural mechanism for silencing gene expression. This ancient cellular antiviral response can be harnessed to allow specific inhibition of the function of any chosen target genes, including those involved in causing diseases such as cancer, AIDS, and hepatitis. RNA interference is already proving to be an invaluable research tool, allowing much more rapid characterisation of the function of known genes. More importantly, the technology considerably bolsters functional genomics to aid in the identification of novel genes involved in disease processes. But can RNA interference be used as an effective therapeutic strategy? Many people in the biotechnology industry are betting that it can, but first considerable problems relating to delivery to target cells will have to be solved. This problem has proved the undoing of previous wonder technologies such as gene therapy and antisense. This review discusses the promises and pitfalls of RNA interference in research and treatment. This article is based on a review of the literature on RNA interference and post-transcriptional gene silencing appearing in the PubMed database, along with personal experience of working in this field for the past four years. It also draws on consensus views expressed at several international conferences on RNA interference in 2003.