Herpes Simplex Virus 1 MicroRNAs: An Update

Intervirology. 2023;66(1):97-110. doi: 10.1159/000531348. Epub 2023 Jun 7.

Abstract

Background: Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), an important human pathogen, is capable of latent infection in neurons and productive (lytic) infection in other tissue cells. Once infected with HSV-1, the immune system of the organism cannot eliminate the virus and carries it lifelong. HSV-1 possesses approximately 150 kb of double-stranded linear genomic DNA and can encode at least 70 proteins and 37 mature microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from 18 precursor miRNAs (pre-miRNAs).

Summary: These HSV-1-encoded miRNAs are widely involved in multiple processes in the life cycle of the virus and the host cell, including viral latent and lytic infection, as well as host cell immune signaling, proliferation, and apoptosis.

Key message: In this review, we focused primarily on recent advances in HSV-1-encoded miRNA expression, function, and mechanism, which may provide new research ideas and feasible research methods systemically and comprehensively.

Keywords: Herpes simplex virus 1; Mechanisms and functions; MicroRNAs.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Herpesvirus 1, Human* / genetics
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Virus Latency / genetics

Substances

  • MicroRNAs

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (NSFC, Grant No. 31670173), the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Initiative for Innovative Medicine (2016-I2M-1-019), the Major Science and Technology Projects of Yunnan Province (2017ZF020, 2017ZF006), the Scientific Research Fund Project of Yunnan Provincial Department of Education (2020J0152), and the Joint Special Project of Yunnan Provincial Department of Science and Technology – Kunming Medical University for Applied Basic Research (202001AY070001-176).