Pillay Roxanne, Naidoo Pragalathan, Mkhize-Kwitshana Zilungile L
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Umlazi, Durban 4031, South Africa.
Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, School of Laboratory Medicine & Medical Sciences, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa.
Diseases. 2025 Jan 1;13(1):6. doi: 10.3390/diseases13010006.
Over the last two decades, the field of microRNA (miRNA) research has grown significantly. MiRNAs are a class of short, single-stranded, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Thereby, miRNAs regulate various essential biological processes including immunity. Dysregulated miRNAs are associated with various infectious and non-infectious diseases. Recently co-infection with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) has become a focus of study. Both pathogens can profoundly influence host immunity, particularly in under-resourced and co-endemic regions. It is well known that STHs induce immunomodulatory responses that have bystander effects on unrelated conditions. Typically, STHs induce T-helper 2 (Th2) and immunomodulatory responses, which may dampen the proinflammatory T-helper 1 (Th1) immune responses triggered by HSV-2. However, the extent to which STH co-infection influences the host immune response to HSV-2 is not well understood. Moreover, little is known about how miRNAs shape the immune response to STH/HSV-2 co-infection. In this article, we explore the potential influence that STH co-infection may have on host immunity to HSV-2. Because STH and HSV-2 infections are widespread and disproportionately affect vulnerable and impoverished countries, it is important to consider how STHs may impact HSV-2 immunity. Specifically, we explore how miRNAs contribute to both helminth and HSV-2 infections and discuss how miRNAs may mediate STH/HSV-2 co-infections. Insight into miRNA-mediated immune responses may further improve our understanding of the potential impact of STH/HSV-2 co-infections.
在过去二十年中，微小RNA（miRNA）研究领域显著发展。miRNA是一类短的单链非编码RNA，可在转录后调节基因表达。因此，miRNA调节包括免疫在内的各种重要生物学过程。miRNA失调与各种感染性和非感染性疾病相关。最近，土壤传播的蠕虫（STH）与2型单纯疱疹病毒（HSV-2）的共同感染已成为研究焦点。这两种病原体均可深刻影响宿主免疫，尤其是在资源匮乏和疾病共同流行的地区。众所周知，STH会诱导免疫调节反应，对无关病症产生旁观者效应。通常，STH会诱导辅助性T细胞2（Th2）和免疫调节反应，这可能会抑制由HSV-2触发的促炎性辅助性T细胞1（Th1）免疫反应。然而，STH共同感染对宿主针对HSV-2的免疫反应的影响程度尚不清楚。此外，关于miRNA如何塑造对STH/HSV-2共同感染的免疫反应知之甚少。在本文中，我们探讨了STH共同感染可能对宿主针对HSV-2的免疫产生的潜在影响。由于STH和HSV-2感染广泛存在且对脆弱和贫困国家的影响尤为严重，因此考虑STH如何影响HSV-2免疫非常重要。具体而言，我们探讨了miRNA如何促成蠕虫和HSV-2感染，并讨论了miRNA如何介导STH/HSV-2共同感染。深入了解miRNA介导的免疫反应可能会进一步增进我们对STH/HSV-2共同感染潜在影响的理解。
