RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics have garnered significant attention in clinical research due to their potential for treating various diseases, including genetic disorders, viral infections and cancer. These therapeutics can target and silence disease-causing genes with high precision, minimizing off-target effects and improving treatment outcomes. As the number of RNAi-based treatment studies expands, questions about how long RNAi benefits can last and if it's possible to fine-tune RNAi need to be answered.
University of Maryland scientists used microscopic roundworms as a model to investigate the mechanisms behind RNAi and how they can be optimized for medical use in humans. The team published its findings in the journal eLife on August 20 2024. In recent years, RNA interference has really made an impact on the scientific world because it can be used to develop drugs that selectively silence disease-causing genes.
We're already seeing it in action in sectors like agriculture and some RNAi therapies are already approved for human use. RNAi is very promising, but there are still many fundamental questions about how to make RNAi more effective." Antony Jose, study's senior author, associate professor of cell biology and molecular genetics at UMD In the eLife study, Jose and his team used quantitative modeling, simulations and experiments with the roundworms to dig deeper into the process.
The researchers found that the effects of gene silencing could wear off over time, bu.