Journal Article

CRISPR/Cas13-Based Anti-RNA Viral Approaches

Toischer, Karl, Hasenfuß, Gerd, Li, Juncong, Wu, Jingjing, Tan, Xiaoying, Cui, Baolong, Xu, Xingbo

2025

Overview

RNA viruses pose significant threats to global health, causing diseases such as COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, influenza, and dengue. These viruses are characterized by high mutation rates, rapid evolution, and the ability to evade traditional antiviral therapies, making effective treatment and prevention particularly challenging. In recent years, CRISPR/Cas13 has emerged as a promising antiviral tool due to its ability to specifically target and degrade viral RNA. Unlike conventional antiviral strategies, Cas13 functions at the RNA level, providing a broad-spectrum and programmable approach to combating RNA viruses. Its flexibility allows for rapid adaptation of guide RNAs to counteract emerging viral variants, making it particularly suitable for highly diverse viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and HIV. This review discusses up-to-date applications of Cas13 in targeting a wide range of RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, HIV, dengue, influenza, and other RNA viruses, focusing on its therapeutic potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated Cas13’s efficacy in degrading viral RNA and inhibiting replication, with applications spanning prophylactic interventions to post-infection treatments. However, challenges such as collateral cleavage, inefficient delivery, potential immunogenicity, and the development of an appropriate ethical framework must be addressed before clinical translation. Future research should focus on optimizing crRNA design, improving delivery systems, and conducting rigorous preclinical evaluations to enhance specificity, safety, and therapeutic efficacy. With continued advancements, Cas13 holds great promise as a revolutionary antiviral strategy, offering novel solutions to combat some of the world’s most persistent viral threats.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Amino acids / Animal human relations / Animals / Antiviral agents / Antiviral Agents - pharmacology / Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - therapy / COVID-19 - virology / CRISPR / CRISPR-Cas Systems / Dengue fever / Genes / Genetic engineering / Genome editing / Health aspects / HIV / HIV (Viruses) / Human immunodeficiency virus / Humans / Immunogenicity / Infections / Infectious diseases / Influenza / Mutation / Mutation rates / Pandemics / Pathogens / Proteins / Public health / Review / RNA / RNA polymerase / RNA viruses / RNA Viruses - drug effects / RNA Viruses - genetics / RNA, Viral - genetics / SARS-CoV-2 - drug effects / SARS-CoV-2 - genetics / Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 / Vaccines / Viral infections / Virus Replication / Viruses / World health / Zoonoses