Topical treatment wipes out herpes with RNAi – Harvard Medical School

This process also stands to potentially create a new class of drugs. This is exciting news as thus far there has been nothing like this accomplished. It is being tested on mice so far. Genomics and R and D are important to the development of the treatments and drugs we will receive in the future as once the characteristics and behaviors of the proteins can be determined, then science begins the chore of how to alter, halt, or otherwise interrupt the processes. Each study is very specific and consumes time and effort on each target. If a topical treatment were available to eliminate the exposing and passing along the virus, this no doubt would be a breakthrough for the many that suffer and help to stop the spread as well as 536 million people worldwide are affected. BD

“One RNA molecule in the topical solution targeted a herpes gene called UL29, which the virus needs to replicate. Knocking out UL29 inactivates the virus.Another RNA molecule targeted Nectin-1, a surface protein found on cells in the vaginal tissue. Nectin-1 acts as a kind of host gatekeeper to which the virus binds to pass into the cell. Without Nectin-1, the virus simply can’t infect cells. ”

A topical treatment disables key proteins necessary for the herpes virus to infect and thrive in the host. Using a laboratory strategy called RNA interference, or RNAi, the treatment cripples the virus in a molecular two-punch knockout, simultaneously disabling its ability to replicate, as well as the host cell’s ability to take up the virus. The research, conducted in mice, demonstrated that the treatment is effective when applied anywhere from one week before infection to a few hours after virus exposure.

In order for the herpes virus to infect the host, two conditions must be met. First, the virus must be able to enter and take over host cells. Second, the virus must then reproduce itself. Lieberman’s topical treatment uses RNAi (RNAi is an RNA-dependent gene silencing process to foil both these events.)

HMS Press Release - Topical treatment wipes out herpes with RNAi