Control of the interferon response in RNAi experiments.

The RNA interference (RNAi) and interferons have been an uneasy marriage. Ever since the discovery of RNAi in mammals, the interferon response has been a feared problem. While RNAi became an efficient and widespread method for gene silencing in mammals, numerous studies recognized several obstacles, including undesirable activation of the interferon response, which need to be overcome to achieve a specific and robust RNAi effect. The aim of this text is to provide theoretical and practical information for scientists who want to control interferon response and other adverse effects in their RNAi experiments.