Inhibition of human cytomegalovirus replication by small interfering RNAs.

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are the mediators of a sequence-specific process of gene silencing called RNA interference (RNAi). Here, we show that synthetic siRNAs against essential gene products of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can trigger RNAi in serum-starved, infected primary fibroblasts, as well as in U373 cells, leading to effective inhibition of viral DNA replication. This opens new possibilities for antiviral strategies and for the analysis of viral and cellular genes important to HCMV physiology.