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COVID-19: fighting the invisible enemy with microRNAs
Neeraj Chauhan1,2, Meena Jaggi1,2, Subhash C Chauhan1,2
1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley , McAllen, Texas, USA.
Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy
|August 21, 2020
Summary
This review explores microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential therapeutics against COVID-19, SARS, and MERS. Nanotechnology-based delivery systems show promise for utilizing these small non-coding RNAs to combat the pandemic.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- COVID-19, a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), emerged in late 2019, rapidly becoming a global health emergency.
- Transmission occurs human-to-human, often asymptomatically, necessitating effective control strategies.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs, regulate gene expression and are explored for antiviral therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the association between COVID-19, SARS, and MERS.
- To delineate the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.
- To explore the therapeutic potential and delivery of miRNAs for COVID-19 treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific articles on COVID-19, MERS, SARS, and miRNAs.
- Analysis of miRNA mechanisms in viral disease pathogenesis.
- Evaluation of nanotechnology-based miRNA delivery systems.
Main Results:
- miRNAs show significant potential as therapeutic molecules against viral infections like COVID-19.
- Nanotechnology offers effective strategies for delivering miRNAs to target viral activity.
- Understanding miRNA roles is crucial for developing novel antiviral treatments.
Conclusions:
- miRNAs represent a promising therapeutic avenue for combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Nanotechnology enhances the efficacy of miRNA-based therapies.
- Further research into miRNA-targeted therapies is warranted for viral diseases.
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