siRNA News and Research

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Small interfering RNA (siRNA), sometimes known as short interfering RNA or silencing RNA, is a class of double-stranded RNA molecules, 20-25 nucleotides in length, that play a variety of roles in biology. Most notably, siRNA is involved in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, where it interferes with the expression of a specific gene. In addition to their role in the RNAi pathway, siRNAs also act in RNAi-related pathways, e.g., as an antiviral mechanism or in shaping the chromatin structure of a genome; the complexity of these pathways is only now being elucidated.

Researchers use aerosolized molecules to shut down proteins generated by coronavirus

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have successfully used molecules comprised of small strands of RNA to shut down the production of destructive proteins generated by the COVID-19 virus.

16 Nov 2020

Novel super-activating macrophage receptor could explain hyper-inflammation in severe COVID-19

Immunity is a curious thing. While essential in protecting the body against invading pathogens and foreign antigens, it can also turn against the body and trigger destructive immunological processes. A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in November 2020 reports on the role played by hyperactive macrophages in a range of acute and chronic hyper-inflammatory conditions.

10 Nov 2020

Antiviral inhibitor DDX42 shows broad activity against Chikungunya, HIV and SARS-CoV-2

By exploiting type 1 interferon's ability to foster an antagonistic cellular environment for viral replication, a research group from France pinpointed DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX42 as an intrinsic inhibitor of HIV, but also other pathogenic viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Chikungunya virus.

29 Oct 2020

Researchers find a new therapeutic approach to combat leukemia

Leukemia frequently originates from the so-called leukemic stem cell, which resides in a tumor promoting and protecting niche within the bone marrow. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany, have found a new way to make these cells vulnerable by specifically dislodging these cells from their niches.

23 Oct 2020

Design of an mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles

Now, a new study presented on the preprint server bioRxiv in October 2020 describes the efficient design of an mRNA vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), based on the use of the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD) mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNP).

19 Oct 2020

Researchers develop new strategy to improve siRNA stability

RNA interference is a gene regulatory mechanism in which the expression of specific genes is downregulated by endogenous microRNAs or by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).

16 Oct 2020

SARS-CoV-2 hijacks antiviral factors to promote infection in human lung cells

Now, a new study published in the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 shows that under conditions resembling those in vivo, IFNs may promote efficient viral invasion instead.

20 Aug 2020

Potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 identified

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 reports the discovery of two inhibitors of the helicase enzyme, which is essential for viral replication and the most highly conserved non-structural coronavirus (CoV) protein.

16 Aug 2020

siRNA-based treatment can reduce psoriasis symptoms

Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that causes itchy, red, scaly patches, afflicts more than 8 million Americans and 125 million people worldwide.

23 Jul 2020

siRNA therapeutics can reduce off-target side effects of anticancer drugs

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has shown tremendous potential for treating human diseases in the past decades.

9 Jul 2020

Scientists discover promising therapy to combat the growing epidemic of liver disease

In an effort to combat a growing worldwide epidemic of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), scientists have discovered a new target and a new therapy that has shown promising results in preclinical mouse models, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

8 Jul 2020

New therapeutic approach for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases

Xiang-Dong Fu, PhD, has never been more excited about something in his entire career. He has long studied the basic biology of RNA, a genetic cousin of DNA, and the proteins that bind it. But a single discovery has launched Fu into a completely new field: neuroscience.

25 Jun 2020

Scientists develop new way to deliver molecules that target specific genes within cells

A group of researchers from University of Toronto Engineering and SickKids Hospital have developed a new way to deliver molecules that target specific genes within cells.

4 May 2020

Disarmed anthrax toxin tested as a way to combat Covid-19

Disarmed anthrax toxin is being tested as a way of fighting the Covid-19 virus.

28 Apr 2020

A new combinatorial therapy for treatment of liver cancer

In the latest issue of Molecular Therapy, Skoltech and MIT researchers have published a new combinatorial therapy for the treatment of liver cancer.

20 Apr 2020

Study shows possible way to effectively deliver RNA drugs to tumors

In recent years, RNA molecules, with the ability to affect or turn off pathogenic genes, have become promising drug candidates in several areas.

15 Apr 2020

Hinge Therapeutics and TUT collaborate to advance drug discovery by ion imaging

Hinge Therapeutics is an early-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing small-molecule therapeutics against traditionally undruggable/challenging targets for unmet medical needs.

9 Apr 2020

Nearly $4 million to fund drug discovery research for Alzheimer's, other dementia

The Alzheimer's Association and the Rainwater Charitable Foundation have joined forces again to fund drug discovery research towards finding therapies for Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal degeneration, and other tauopathies.

4 Mar 2020

Researchers develop novel therapeutic approach to cure chronic hepatitis B

Researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München, Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the German Center for Infection Research have developed a novel therapeutic approach to cure chronic hepatitis B.

3 Feb 2020

Experimental drug found to be effective at reducing bad cholesterol

Twice-yearly injections of an experimental cholesterol-lowering drug, inclisiran, were effective at reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, often called bad cholesterol, in patients already taking the maximum dose of statin drugs, according to data of the ORION-10 trial presented Saturday, Nov. 16, at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2019.

17 Nov 2019