Journal of Applied Biosciences (J. Appl. Biosci.) [ISSN 1997 - 5902]
Volume 2: 54 - 63. Published February 2008.
Pre-Integration gene slicing as an alternate or complimentary gene therapy modem to RNA interference
ABSTRACT
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the current grand global health challenges. Despite the advent of HAART, resistance and treatment failure have increased the need for alternative interventions. Gene therapy is viewed as one alternative, with antisense RNA, RNA decoys, RNA interference, and Ribozymes being exploited. Despite the potential that the inherent antiviral model (the RNA interference or Post transcription gene silencing) offers for HIV gene therapy, off-target gene silencing, immune adverse reactions and resistance build up limit the effective use of the RNAi pathway, underlining the need for alternative or complimentary strategies. This paper reviews the potential of a similar natural inherent antiviral defense model in bacteria (known as the Restriction modification (R-M) System), as a pre-integration gene slicing alternative or complementary gene therapy modem to RNAi, detailing its potential applications in HIV treatment, as well as likely shortcomings.
Keywords: Gene therapy, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Ribonucleic acids Interference pathway, Post Transcriptional Gene silencing, Pre-integration Gene splicing.
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