Frontiers in Microbiology (Aug 2012)

MicroRNAs in HIV-1 infection: An integration of viral and cellular interaction at the genomic level

  • Neil H. Tan Gana,
  • Tomohiro eOnuki,
  • Ann Florence B. Victoriano,
  • Takashi eOkamoto

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2012.00306
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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The microRNA pathways govern complex interactions of the host and virus at the transcripts level that regulate cellular responses, viral replication and viral pathogenesis. As a group of single-stranded short non-coding ribonucleotides (ncRNAs), the microRNAs complement their messenger RNA (mRNA) targets to effect post-transcriptional or translational gene silencing. Previous studies showed the ability of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) to encode microRNAs which modify cellular defence mechanisms thus creating an environment favourable for viral invasion and replication. In corollary, cellular microRNAs were linked to the alteration of HIV-1 infection at different stages of replication and latency. As evidences further establish the regulatory involvement of both cellular and viral microRNA in HIV-1-host interactions, there is a necessity to organize this information. This paper would present current and emerging knowledge on these multi-dimensional interactions that may facilitate the design of microRNAs as effective antiretroviral reagents.

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