Application of CRISPR/Cas9 Technology to HBV

• Main Authors: Guigao Lin, Kuo Zhang, Jinming Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2015-11-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: CRISPR/Cas9; HBV; cccDNA; antiviral
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/16/11/25950

More than 240 million people around the world are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Nucleos(t)ide analogs and interferon are the only two families of drugs to treat HBV currently. However, none of these anti-virals directly target the stable nuclear covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), which acts as a transcription template for viral mRNA and pre-genomic RNA synthesis and secures virus persistence. Thus, the fact that only a small number of patients treated achieve sustained viral response (SVR) or cure, highlights the need for new therapies against HBV. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 gene editing system can specifically target the conserved regions of the HBV genome. This results in robust viral suppression and provides a promising tool for eradicating the virus. In this review, we discuss the function and application of the CRISPR/Cas9 system as a novel therapy for HBV.