Use of siRNAs to prevent and treat influenza virus infection

Influenza virus causes one of the most prevalent infections in humans. In a typical year, 10–20% of the population in the United States are infected by influenza virus, resulting in up to 40,000 deaths. Current vaccines can prevent illness in approximately 70–80% of healthy individuals under age 65, but the protection rate is much lower in those most susceptible to infection, namely infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Although four antiviral drugs have been approved in the United States for treatment and/or prophylaxis of influenza, their use is limited because of concerns about side effects, compliance, and the possible emergence of resistant virus. We found that short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) specific for conserved regions of the influenza virus genome are potent inhibitors of influenza virus replication in both cell lines and embryonated chicken eggs. In this review, we discuss the potential value of siRNAs for preventing and treating influenza virus infections in humans and the challenges that have to be overcome to realize their potential.