Progress towards therapeutic application of RNA interference for HIV infection.

HIV-1 infection is the cause of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been successful in reducing the rate of progression to AIDS, but a cure has not yet been achieved. New tools are required to delay progression of infection or to block the replication cycle of HIV. RNA interference (RNAi) has the potential to work as a powerful tool against HIV infection. The mode of action of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against their target genes is through sequence complementarity, which in turn results in target degradation. siRNAs are showing enormous potential to be used as a therapeutic tool in various diseases; however, this technology still requires refinement before its full potential can be utilized for the development of HIV therapies.