The interplay between virus infection and the cellular RNA interference machinery

Abstract 

RNA interference (RNAi) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of gene expression to control cell development and differentiation. In plants, insects and nematodes RNAi also functions as an innate defence response against viruses. Similarly, there is accumulating evidence that RNAi functions as an antiviral defence mechanism in mammalian cells. Viruses have evolved highly sophisticated mechanisms for interacting with the host cell machinery, and recent evidence indicates that this also involves RNAi pathways. The cellular RNAi machinery can inhibit virus replication, but viruses may also exploit the RNAi machinery for their own replication. In addition, viruses can encode proteins or RNA molecules that suppress existing RNAi pathways or trigger the silencing of specific host genes. Besides the natural interplay between RNAi and viruses, induced RNAi provides an attractive therapy approach for the fight against human pathogenic viruses. Here, we summarize the latest news on virus–RNAi interactions and RNAi based antiviral therapy.

Abbreviations: AAV, adeno-associated virus, CMV, cytomegalovirus, DEN, dengue virus, dsRNA, double-stranded RNA, EBV, Epstein Barr virus, HBV, hepatitis B virus, HCV, hepatitis C virus, HDV, hepatitis delta virus, HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, HPV, human papillomavirus, HRV-16, human rhinovirus-16, HSV, herpes simplex virus, IFN dsRNA, interferon-induced dsRNA, IFN-PKR, interferon-induced protein kinase R, JCV, JC virus, KSHV, Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated virus, MHV6, murine hepatitis virus 6, miRNA, micro RNA, PFV-1, primate foamy virus type 1, pre-miRNA, precursor miRNA, RISC, RNA-induced silencing complex, RNAi, RNA interference, RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome, shRNA, short hairpin RNA, SIRCT, siRNA combination therapy, siRNA, small interfering RNA, SV40, simian virus 40, TAR, trans-activating response region, TRBP, TAR RNA binding protein, VA-RNAI, virus-associated RNA I, VA-RNAII, virus-associated RNA II, VSV, vesicular stomatitis virus

Keywords: RNA interference, Virus infection, Virus–host interaction