RNA interference-based therapeutics against aquatic viral diseases: Recent advances in fish and crustaceans...

Viral diseases inflict severe economic losses on global aquaculture, driving the urgent need for sustainable and effective disease management strategies. Conventional chemical treatments are increasingly limited by environmental concerns, antibiotic resistance, and scarcity of specific antivirals. RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a pivotal functional genomics tool and a promising antiviral strategy. It utilizes synthetic RNA molecules that are designed to be complementary to viral mRNA sequences. This complementarity allows for the precise targeting and degradation of the viral mRNA, thereby silencing the gene expression. For instance, RNAi has shown significant potential in combating nervous necrosis virus (NNV) in grouper and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in penaeid shrimp. However, practical implementation of RNAi-based therapies in aquaculture remains constrained by off-target effects and challenges in achieving safe, efficient in vivo delivery of RNAi molecules. This review summarizes significant RNAi applications against viral diseases in fish and crustaceans (2010-2025), analyzes its strengths and limitations as both a research tool and a therapeutic platform, offering a perspective on innovative delivery strategies and a pathway for future development to bridge the gap between laboratory research and practical application in controlling aquatic viral pathogens.