Selective inhibition of rabies virus gene expression by human miRNAs: a therapeutic approach using the 7mer-m8 model

MicroRNAs, abbreviated as miRNAs, have a substantial impact on viral infections through their ability to control gene expression and influence the interactions between the host and the virus. This work investigates the capacity of miRNAs to selectively inhibit the expression of rabies virus genes, specifically Nucleoprotein N, Phosphoprotein M1 and M2, Transmembrane Glycoprotein G, and L protein. The 7mer-m8 model was utilized to identify human miRNAs that target these viral genes. The interactions between the miRNAs and the genes were then assessed based on binding energy, GC content, and stability. The findings indicated that miRNAs, including miR-1279, miR-4251, miR-4288, and miR-12117, successfully target the N gene. In addition, other miRNAs target the remaining viral genes, indicating their capacity to bind and potentially inhibit viral replication. In addition, docking experiments have verified the stability of miRNA-mRNA duplexes, as evidenced by the high free energy values that indicate strong and reliable contacts between miRNA and gene. These findings indicate that certain human miRNAs have the potential to be effective therapeutic agents against the rabies virus by suppressing gene expression. This offers a new and innovative strategy to fight against this deadly infection.