Delivery of RNA Interference to Peripheral Neurons In Vivo Using Herpes Simplex Virus

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) has become a powerful tool for modulating gene expression. While delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) has achieved silencing of pain-related genes in various animal models of nociception, delivery of short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) or artificial miRNA (miRNA) to dorsal root ganglia (DRG) has proven particularly challenging. This chapter describes a highly efficient method for in vivo gene silencing in sensory neurons using replication-defective vectors based on herpes simplex virus (HSV). This method can be utilised to obtain a better understanding of gene function, validate novel gene targets in drug discovery and potentially develop new RNAi-mediated approaches to achieve analgesia.