Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Parasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil.
Laboratory of Technological Development in Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jul 7;24(13):11201. doi: 10.3390/ijms241311201.
Human herpesviruses (HHVs) can establish latency and be reactivated, also are neurotropic viruses that can trigger neurological disorders. HHV-6 is a herpesvirus that is associated with neurological disorders. Studies have reported the detection of HHV-6 in patients with COVID-19 and neurological manifestations. However, specific diagnoses of the neurological disorders caused by these viruses tend to be invasive or difficult to interpret. This study aimed to establish a relationship between miRNA and neurological manifestations in patients co-infected with COVID-19 and HHV-6 and evaluate miRNAs as potential biomarkers. Serum samples from COVID-19 patients in the three cohorts were analyzed. miRNA analysis by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed miRNAs associated with neuroinflammation were highly expressed in patients with neurological disorders and HHV-6 detection. When compared with the group of patients without detection of HHVs DNA and without neurological alterations, the group with detection of HHV-6 DNA and neurological alteration, displayed significant differences in the expression of mir-21, mir-146a, miR-155 and miR-let-7b ( < 0.01). Our results reinforce the involvement of miRNAs in neurological disorders and provide insights into their use as biomarkers for neurological disorders triggered by HHV-6. Furthermore, understanding the expression of miRNAs may contribute to therapeutic strategies.
人类疱疹病毒（HHVs）可以潜伏并重新激活，也是嗜神经病毒，可以引发神经紊乱。HHV-6 是一种与神经紊乱相关的疱疹病毒。研究报告称在 COVID-19 患者和有神经表现的患者中检测到了 HHV-6。然而，这些病毒引起的神经紊乱的具体诊断往往具有侵袭性或难以解释。本研究旨在建立 COVID-19 与 HHV-6 合并感染患者中 miRNA 与神经表现之间的关系，并评估 miRNA 作为潜在生物标志物的作用。对来自三个队列的 COVID-19 患者的血清样本进行了 miRNA 分析。实时聚合酶链反应（qPCR）分析显示，与神经炎症相关的 miRNA 在有神经紊乱和 HHV-6 检测的患者中高度表达。与未检测到 HHVs DNA 且无神经改变的患者组相比，检测到 HHV-6 DNA 且有神经改变的患者组在 mir-21、mir-146a、miR-155 和 miR-let-7b 的表达上存在显著差异（<0.01）。我们的结果证实了 miRNA 参与神经紊乱，并为将其作为 HHV-6 引发的神经紊乱的生物标志物提供了新的见解。此外，对 miRNA 表达的理解可能有助于治疗策略的制定。
