TREATING HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION WITH OVER-EXPRESSION OF MICRORNA-196

摘要

The present invention is directed to methods of treating cells infected with HCV and mammals suffering from HCV infection by transfecting the infected cells with miRNA-196 mimic. miRNA-196 mimic significantly down-regulates Bach1 protein and HCV gene expression, while also up-regulating HMOX1 gene expression. miRNA-196 binds with the 3'-UTR of Bach1 mRNA to reduce the expression of Bach1. As such, miRNA-196 can play an important role in the regulation of HCV replication and HMOX1/Bach1 expression in hepatocytes. The present invention also provides a formulation for the treatment of cells expressing HCV comprising a therapeutically effective amount of miRNA-196 such that Bach1 and HCV gene expression are down- regulated while HMOX1 expression is increased. The formulations are adapted to enable the transfection of miRNA-196 mimic into hepatocytes expressing HCV proteins.