Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 18, 2026

High-throughput Screening for Broad-spectrum Chemical Inhibitors of RNA Viruses
11:34

High-throughput Screening for Broad-spectrum Chemical Inhibitors of RNA Viruses

Published on: May 5, 2014

14.3K

RNAi therapy targeting coronavirus genomes, pulmonary delivery strategies and design principles: A review

Hao Shen1, Dongwan Cheng2, Liqing Liu3

  • 1Genetic Skin Disease Center, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Skin Diseases and STIs, Hospital for Skin Diseases, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, Jiangsu, China.

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|January 16, 2026
PubMed

Insights

RNA interference (RNAi) offers a promising therapeutic strategy to combat coronaviruses like COVID-19 by silencing viral genes. Advances in delivery methods, such as inhalation, enhance the potential of small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgent need for effective antiviral therapies.
  • RNA interference (RNAi) presents a novel approach for gene silencing to inhibit viral replication.
  • Clinical application of small interfering RNA (siRNA) faces challenges including delivery and specificity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in RNAi-mediated inhibition of coronaviruses, focusing on SARS-CoV-2.
  • To evaluate RNAi strategies targeting specific viral components and identify universal targets.
  • To assess various delivery platforms and targeted delivery methods for siRNA therapeutics.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on RNAi applications against coronaviruses.
  • Analysis of RNAi efficacy against different viral targets (RdRp, S, E, M, N proteins).
  • Evaluation of delivery systems: liposomes, polymers, nanoparticles, and viral vectors.

Main Results:

  • RNAi demonstrates specificity and efficacy against various viral components, with potential for universal targets.
  • Inhalation-based delivery shows promise for pulmonary diseases, including COVID-19.
  • Nanotechnology and gene editing are expanding possibilities for effective siRNA delivery.

Conclusions:

  • RNAi is a viable therapeutic strategy against coronaviruses, with ongoing research addressing delivery and specificity challenges.
  • Targeted delivery systems, particularly inhalation, are crucial for advancing siRNA therapeutics for respiratory viral infections.
  • Continued innovation in gene editing and nanotechnology will likely enhance the effectiveness of RNAi-based treatments.
Keywords:
Antiviral therapyCoronavirusRNAiSARS-CoV-2siRNA delivery

More Related Videos

Generation, Amplification, and Titration of Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Viruses11:48

Generation, Amplification, and Titration of Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Viruses

Published on: April 4, 2019

17.0K
Efficient Transfection of In vitro Transcribed mRNA in Cultured Cells Using Peptide-Poloxamine Nanoparticles10:16

Efficient Transfection of In vitro Transcribed mRNA in Cultured Cells Using Peptide-Poloxamine Nanoparticles

Published on: August 17, 2022

3.8K

Related Concept Videos

Experimental RNAi02:15

Experimental RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
7.3K
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
27.8K
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the...
18.4K
Viruses with RNA Genomes01:29

Viruses with RNA Genomes

RNA viruses are categorized into positive-strand, negative-strand, or double-stranded groups based on their genomic structure and replication mechanisms. This classification dictates how they exploit host cellular machinery for protein synthesis and replication. Some RNA viruses also utilize reverse transcription as part of their life cycle, further diversifying their replication strategies.Positive-Strand RNA VirusesPositive-strand RNA viruses have genomes that function directly as messenger...
833
Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics01:29

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
987
Leaky Scanning02:28

Leaky Scanning

During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA.  Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R...
5.6K