Patent ID: 8084599
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: A61P,C12N

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing expression of a target gene in a mammalian cell comprising: contacting a mammalian cell in vitro with an isolated double stranded nucleic acid in an amount sufficient to reduce expression of a target gene in said cell, wherein said double stranded nucleic acid comprises a first oligonucleotide strand comprising RNA and having a 5′ terminus and a 3′ terminus and a second oligonucleotide strand comprising RNA and having a 5′ terminus and a 3′ terminus, wherein said first strand has a length which is at least 25 and at most 30 nucleotides and wherein said second strand is 1-4 nucleotides longer at its 3′ terminus than said first strand and forms a base-paired blunt end at its 5′ terminus with said 3′ terminus of said first strand, wherein said double-stranded nucleic acid comprises a duplex region of at least 25 nucleotides in length, wherein said second oligonucleotide strand is sufficiently complementary to a target mRNA along at least 19 nucleotides of said second oligonucleotide strand length to reduce target gene expression when said double stranded nucleic acid is introduced into a mammalian cell, and wherein said double stranded nucleic acid is cleaved by human Dicer so as to facilitate incorporation of a cleaved second oligonucleotide strand into RISC, thereby reducing expression of the target gene in said mammalian cell.