The miRNA COMPLEXES AGAINST CORONAVIRUSES COVID-19, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV

Abstract

The possibility of using miRNA (mRNA-inhibiting RNA) to inhibit infections caused by the coronaviruses COVID-19, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV has been shown. Using bioinformatics approaches, completely complementary miRNA (cc-miRNA) complexes were predicted to be able to bind and inhibit the translation of coronavirus proteins and the replication of COVID-19, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV genomes. For complexes of seven cc-miRc for COVID-19, seven cc-miRs for SARS-CoV, and eight cc-miRm for MERS-CoV, the interactions with the RNA genomes (gRNAs) of the corresponding coronaviruses was evaluated. The free energy of the interactions of cc-miRNAs with binding sites was significantly higher than the free energy of the interactions with other regions in gRNA, which ensures high selectivity of the binding of cc-miRNAs. Weak binding of cc-miRNAs to the mRNAs of 17508 human genes was shown, which suggests the absence of side effects of the cc-miRNAs in humans. A feature of this method is the simultaneous inhibition of translation and replication by several cc-miRNAs binding from the 5' end to the 3' end of gRNA. The use of several cc-miRNAs to suppress infections allows each of them to be used at a lower concentration to avoid side effects when one cc-miRNA is introduced into humans at a high concentration.

The Role of miRNAs in COVID-19 Disease

“…For instance, ID02510.3p-miRNA, ID00448.3pmiRNA, miRNA 3154, miRNA 7114-5p, miRNA 5197-3p, ID02750.3p-miRNA and ID01851.5p-miRNA, miR-5197-3p [12,13], miR-17-5p and miR-20b-5p [14] mitigate the pathogenesis of COVID-19 disease via binding to the SARS-CoV-2 genome and inhibit its post-transcriptional expression. Nersisyan et al introduced six miRNAs including miR-21-3p, miR-195-5p, miR-16-5p, miR-3065-5p, miR-424-5p and miR-421 that potentially regulated all human coronaviruses through direct binding to the viral genome.…”

Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19 and Diabetic Kidney Disease

“…However, less information is available about how microRNAs regulate SARS-CoV-2 gene expression in the host kidney cells to regulate viral DNA amplifications. Recent studies include the role of ID02510.3p-miRNA, ID00448.3pmiRNA, miRNA 3154, miRNA 7114-5p, miRNA 5197-3p, ID02750.3p-miRNA and ID01851.5p-miRNA, miR-5197-3p [95], miR-17-5p and miR-20b-5p [96] in the control COVID-19 pathogenesis by binding to the genome of SARS-CoV-2. Six miRNAs, including miR-21-3p, miR-195-5p, miR-16-5p, miR-3065-5p, miR-424-5p, and miR-421, were identified that can control all human coronaviruses by binding to the viral genome [97].…”

Epigenetic susceptibility to severe respiratory viral infections and its therapeutic implications: a narrative review

“…21,22 Indeed, advanced bioinformatic tools have predicted the possibility of using microRNAs (miRNAs) to inhibit infections caused by COVID-19, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV by inhibiting the translation of viral proteins and viral replication. 21 As some epigenetic changes can be reversed by small agents, known as 'epidrugs', or alternatively, epigenetic pathways can be interfered by immune modulators, they might provide useful drug targets to ameliorate the clinical outcome during viral respiratory infections. 23,24 Ongoing trials will answer to this possible clinical application.…”