Specific small interfering RNAs inhibit replication of hepatitis B virus / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To obtain specific small interfering RNAs (siRNA) for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and evaluate their interfering effect.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three siRNAs were transfected into HepG2.2.15 cells, and the amount of HBV mRNA in the cell culture medium was quantified with real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. HBsAg in the culture media was assayed with Western blotting at different time points after transfection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cells transfected with specific siRNAs showed decreased levels of HBV mRNA and HBsAg (P<0.05), but those with nonspecific siRNA transfection as the negative control did not show such changes (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Specific siRNA can significantly inhibit protein expression and mRNA synthesis of HBV in HepG2.2.15 cells in vitro.</p>