RNA Interference (RNAi): A Common Strategy for Treating HIV, Hepatitis & Cancer

All three use small interfering RNA (siRNA) to silence specific genes. In AIDS, siRNA is used to target HIV-1 RNA, preventing the virus from replicating. In hepatitis, siRNA is used to silence the hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene, reducing the amount of virus in the body. In cancer, siRNA is used to target genes that are involved in cancer cell growth and survival, such as the KRAS gene.