title: Antiviral effects of human microRNAs and conservation of their target sites.
abstract: MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that modulate gene expression at post-transcriptional level, playing a crucial role in cell differentiation and development. Recently, some reports have shown that a limited number of mammalian microRNAs also display antiviral effects. This article summarizes the data in the field paying a special attention to the conservation of the microRNA target sequences in the viral populations. This issue is relevant both for the evaluation of the biological significance of the antiviral effects and for the development of microRNA-based strategies for antiviral intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Second University of Naples, Caserta, Italy. aniello.russo@unina2.it
authors.forename: Aniello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Potenza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D035683:MicroRNAs