Decoding cross-talk between Mpox and HIV: insights from transcriptomics and network-based analyses

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Genetics
• Immunology

Background:

• The Monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak poses a significant global health threat, with increasing severity.
• MPXV infections are notably prevalent in individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), yet the underlying cross-talk mechanisms remain unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the shared molecular mechanisms between HIV and Mpox infections using a network-based approach.
• To identify common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and potential therapeutic targets for co-infections.

Main Methods:

• Utilized network-based methodology to analyze shared DEGs in HIV and Mpox.
• Performed functional enrichment, co-expression, and transcriptional factor analysis on common DEGs.
• Conducted gene-disease network analysis and molecular docking to identify potential drug targets.

Main Results:

• Identified 41 common DEGs between Mpox and HIV datasets.
• Discovered 8 key hub genes, including SOCS3, NFKBIA, and IFIT1, involved in vital biological functions.
• Docking analysis confirmed potential drug compound binding to target genes, suggesting therapeutic viability.

Conclusions:

• Uncovered shared molecular mechanisms between HIV and Mpox through hub gene analysis.
• Provided novel insights into HIV-Mpox co-infection dynamics.
• Highlighted potential for simultaneous therapeutic strategies targeting common pathways.