Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic is caused by SARS-CoV-2 which belongs to coronaviridae family. Despite the global prevalence, there are currently no vaccines or drugs. Dietary plant derived exosome-like vesicles are known as edible nanoparticles (ENPs). ENPs are filled with microRNAs (miRNAs), in bioavailable form. Recently, cross-kingdom regulation of human transcripts by plant miRNAs have been demonstrated. However, ENP derived miRNAs targeting SARS-CoV-2 has not been described.
Study Design: Mature ENP-derived miRNA sequences were retrieved from small RNA sequencing datasets available in the literature. In silico target prediction was performed to identify miRNAs that could target SARS-CoV-2. ENPs were isolated from ginger and grapefruit plants and the expression of SARS-CoV-2 targeting miRNAs were confirmed by qRT-PCR.
Results: From a total of 260 ENP-derived miRNAs, we identified 22 miRNAs that could potentially target SARS-CoV-2 genome. 11 miRNAs showed absolute target specificity towards SARS-CoV-2 but not SARS-CoV. ENPs from soybean, ginger, hamimelon, grapefruit, tomato and pear possess multiple miRNAs targeting different regions within SARS-CoV-2. Interestingly, osa/cme miR-530b-5p specifically targeted the ribosomal slippage site between ORF1a and ORF1b. We validated the relative expression of six miRNAs (miR-5077, miR-6300, miR-156a, miR-169, miR-5059 and miR-166 m) in ginger and grapefruit ENPs by RT-PCR which showed differential enrichment of specific miRNAs in ginger and grapefruit ENPs.
Conclusion: Since administration of ENPs leads to their accumulation into lung tissues in vivo, ENP derived miRNAs targeting SARS-CoV-2 genome has the potential to be developed as an alternative therapy.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7844364 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2021.115425 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Physical activity and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania: insights for public health policy in low-income contexts.
Front Public Health
January 2025
Department of Physical Education and Sport Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic heightened anxiety levels globally, disproportionately affecting low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Physical activity (PA) has shown potential to alleviate mental health challenges, including anxiety. This study explores the relationship between PA and anxiety among Tanzanian adults during the pandemic, examining whether self-reported health status moderates this relationship and identifying demographic variations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is an arthropod-borne, positive-sense RNA alphavirus posing a substantial threat to public health. Unlike similar viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, EEEV replicates efficiently in neurons, producing progeny viral particles as soon as 3-4 hours post-infection. EEEV infection, which can cause severe encephalitis with a human mortality rate surpassing 30%, has no licensed, targeted therapies, leaving patients to rely on supportive care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe growing body of experimental and computational studies suggested that the cross-neutralization antibody activity against Omicron variants may be driven by balance and tradeoff of multiple energetic factors and interaction contributions of the evolving escape hotspots involved in antigenic drift and convergent evolution. However, the dynamic and energetic details quantifying the balance and contribution of these factors, particularly the balancing nature of specific interactions formed by antibodies with the epitope residues remain scarcely characterized. In this study, we performed molecular dynamics simulations, ensemble-based deep mutational scanning of SARS-CoV-2 spike residues and binding free energy computations for two distinct groups of broadly neutralizing antibodies : E1 group (BD55-3152, BD55-3546 and BD5-5840) and F3 group (BD55-3372, BD55-4637 and BD55-5514).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCOVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations for 2024-2025 in Korea.
Infect Chemother
December 2024
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases has been regularly publishing guidelines for adult immunization since 2007. Following the release of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination recommendations in 2023, significant changes have occurred due to the emergence of new variant strains and the waning immunity from previous vaccinations. This article provides a comprehensive update as of November 2024, incorporating the latest evidence and guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExamining Intersectionality and Barriers to the Uptake of Video Consultations Among Older Adults From Disadvantaged Backgrounds With Limited English Proficiency: Qualitative Narrative Interview Study.
J Med Internet Res
January 2025
Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Background: The rapid shift to video consultation services during the COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about exacerbating existing health inequities, particularly for disadvantaged populations. Intersectionality theory provides a valuable framework for understanding how multiple dimensions of disadvantage interact to shape health experiences and outcomes.
Objective: This study aims to explore how multiple dimensions of disadvantage-specifically older age, limited English proficiency, and low socioeconomic status-intersect to shape experiences with digital health services, focusing on video consultations.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!