Cellular miR-150-5p may have a crucial role to play in the biology of SARS-CoV-2 infection by regulating nsp10 gene. Issue 1 (31st December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Akula, Shaw M.; Bolin, Paul; Cook, Paul P.
• Is Part Of: RNA biology. Volume 19:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 11
• Publication Date: 2022-12-31
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- SARS-CoV-2 -- miR-150-5p -- nsp10 -- plasma -- circulating biomarkers; RNA -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Molecular biology; RNA; Periodicals; 572.8805
• DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.2010959
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1547-6286

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The role for circulating miRNAs as biomarkers of the COVID-19 disease remains uncertain. We analysed the circulating miRNA profile in twelve COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease. This analysis was conducted by performing next generation sequencing (NGS) followed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Compared with healthy controls, we detected significant changes in the circulating miRNA profile of COVID-19 patients. The miRNAs that were significantly altered in all the COVID-19 patients were miR-150-5p, miR-375, miR-122-5p, miR-494-3p, miR-3197, miR-4690-5p, miR-1915-3p, and miR-3652. Infection assays performed using miRNA mimics in HEK-293 T cells determined miR-150-5p to have a crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 infection and this was based on the following data: (i) miR-150-5p mimic lowered in vitro SARS-CoV-2 infection; (ii) miR-150-5p inhibitor reversed the effects of miR-150-5p mimic on SARS-CoV-2 infection of cells; and (iii) a novel miRNA recognition element (MRE) was identified in the coding strand of SARS-CoV-2 nsp10, the expression of which could be inhibited by miR-150-5p mimic. Our findings identified crucial miRNA footprints in COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease. A combination of co-transfection and Western blotting experiments also determined the ability of miR-150-5p to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection via directly interacting with MRE in the coding strand of nsp10 . Our investigation showed that a sharp decline in the miR-150-5p plasma levels in COVID-19 patients may support enhanced SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, this study provides insight into one possible mechanism by which COVID-19-induced changes to miR-150-5p levels may promote SARS-CoV-2 infection via modulating nsp10 expression.