Regulation of Latency and Reactivation by Human Cytomegalovirus miRNAs

Nicole L Diggins; Rebecca L Skalsky; Meaghan H Hancock

doi:10.3390/pathogens10020200

Regulation of Latency and Reactivation by Human Cytomegalovirus miRNAs

Pathogens. 2021 Feb 13;10(2):200. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10020200.

Authors

Nicole L Diggins¹, Rebecca L Skalsky¹, Meaghan H Hancock¹

Affiliation

¹ Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA.

Abstract

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes 22 mature microRNAs (miRNAs), which regulate a myriad of cellular processes, including vesicular trafficking, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and immune evasion, as well as viral gene expression. Recent evidence points to a critical role for HCMV miRNAs in mediating latency in CD34⁺ hematopoietic progenitor cells through modulation of cellular signaling pathways, including attenuation of TGFβ and EGFR signaling. Moreover, HCMV miRNAs can act in concert with, or in opposition to, viral proteins in regulating host cell functions. Here, we comprehensively review the studies of HCMV miRNAs in the context of latency and highlight the novel processes that are manipulated by the virus using these small non-coding RNAs.

Keywords: cytomegalovirus; latency; miRNA; signaling.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding