title: Computational analysis to predict functional role of hsa-miR-3065-3p as an antiviral therapeutic agent for treatment of triple infections: HCV, HIV-1, and HBV.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Triple infection (TI) with HIV-1, HCV, and HBV (TI) is highly prevalent in intravenous drug users (IDUs). These TI patients have a faster progression to AIDS, and even after antiretroviral therapy (ART) the prognosis of their disease is poor. The use of microRNA (miRNA) to silence genes holds potential applications for anti-HCV therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the role of human miRNAs (hsa-miRs) in TI by computational analyses for HCV, HIV-1, and HBV showing identity to these three viral genomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified one unique miRNA, hsa-miR-3065-3p, that shares significant mutual identity to these three viral genomes (∼61-83%). In addition, hsa-miR-99, hsa-miR-548, and hsa-miR-122 also showed mutual identity with these three viral genomes, albeit at a lower degree (∼52-88%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here, we present evidence using essential components of bioinformatics tools, and hypothesize that utility of hsa-miR-3065-3p and perhaps miR-548 would be potential antiviral therapeutic agents in the treatment of TI patients because it shows near perfect alignment in the seed region for all three viruses. We also make an argument that current proposed therapy with hsa-miR-122 may not be the optimal choice for HCV patients since it lacks essential gene alignment and may be harmful for the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ambreen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khokhar
authors.forename: Samina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noorali
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheraz
authors.forename: Kuha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mahalingham
authors.forename: Donald G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: Mohammad R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Khanani
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bagasra
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D055808:Drug Discovery; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D016679:Genome, Viral; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering
keywords: HBV; HCV; HIV-1; RNAi; homology; identity; inhibition; microRNA-based therapy; triple infection