Hammerhead ribozymes as unique tools for gene therapy of HPV-related cancers

Hammerhead ribozymes are small RNA moleculesthat bind to a complementary sequence of RNA andcleave that sequence at a conserved triplet NUX (N =G, A, X = A, U, C). ln comparison with ilntisensemolecuIes, ribozymes not only bind to target RNA butalso cleave the target at predicted sites. They havebeen used as molecular agents to destroy either viralRNA or oncogene transcripts in human cancers. Manyhuman cervical and oral carcinomas express RNA of