Barjasteh Amir Hossein, Latifi Hanieh, Sepehrinezhad Ali
Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Neuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2025 Jul 2;15:1506687. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1506687. eCollection 2025.
BACKGROUND: Monkeypox (MPOX) is a zoonotic disease caused by the MPOX virus (MPXV). MPOX resurfaced globally in May 2022, spreading throughout six WHO regions, resulting in nearly 87,000 cases and 112 deaths. Clinical symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, fever, joint pain and several neurological complications such as headache, encephalitis, myalgia, fatigue, photophobia and seizures. Despite these manifestations, the precise mechanisms of MPXV's neurotropism remain elusive. This study aimed to explore the genetic underpinnings of MPOX-related neurological manifestations, including headache, myalgia, fatigue, and photophobia, using advanced bioinformatics tools. METHODS: Data were sourced from the GeneCards database, which is an integrated database of human genes. Genes linked to MPOX and its neurological manifestations were identified and cross-referenced to uncover shared genes between these conditions. Network visualization was created using STRING, followed by topological analysis in Cytoscape to identify key genes based on degree and betweenness centrality. Functional enrichment analysis through ToppGene provided insights into molecular functions, biological processes, and cellular components associated with these target genes. Pathway analysis was performed using WikiPathways, and cell-type-specific enrichment was conducted using Enrichr. Additionally, we predicted functional microRNAs using mirTarbase and identified potential drug candidates via the Stitch database. RESULTS: We identified 32 MPOX-associated genes and a large set of neurological manifestation-related genes. Ten hub genes, including CD55, CXCL1, NFKB1, CXCL8, CD4, IL6, MX1, CFH, KLRK1, and CD46 were shared between MPOX and its neurological manifestations. Five novel genes, including CFHR3, C5AR1, C3AR1, IFNA2, and CXCL3 were predicted to be associated with MPOX and its neurological complications. Gene ontology analysis highlighted biological processes such as immune regulation, viral life cycle, and lymphocyte activation, while pathway enrichment identified critical signaling mechanisms like prostaglandin signaling, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling, complement activation, and neuroinflammation. Moreover, cell types such as T-helper cells, natural killer cells, and microglia were found to be significantly impacted by MPOX and its frequent neurological complications. We identified 11 key microRNAs associated with MPOX-neurological manifestations and repurposed eight potential drugs, offering promising therapeutic strategies. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the central role of the complement system, immunological responses, and inflammatory pathways in the neurological manifestations of MPOX. The identification of novel genes and predicted therapeutic targets paves the way for future research and therapeutic interventions. Experimental validation is required to confirm these findings and determine the effectiveness of the proposed treatments.
背景:猴痘(MPOX)是一种由猴痘病毒(MPXV)引起的人畜共患病。2022年5月猴痘在全球范围内再度出现,传播至世界卫生组织的六个区域,导致近87000例病例和112例死亡。临床症状包括淋巴结肿大、发热、关节疼痛以及多种神经并发症,如头痛、脑炎、肌痛、疲劳、畏光和癫痫发作。尽管有这些表现,但MPXV的神经嗜性的确切机制仍不清楚。本研究旨在使用先进的生物信息学工具探索与MPOX相关的神经表现(包括头痛、肌痛、疲劳和畏光)的遗传基础。 方法:数据来源于基因卡片数据库,这是一个人类基因的综合数据库。识别与MPOX及其神经表现相关的基因并进行交叉引用,以发现这些病症之间的共享基因。使用STRING创建网络可视化,然后在Cytoscape中进行拓扑分析,以根据度和介数中心性识别关键基因。通过ToppGene进行功能富集分析,以深入了解与这些靶基因相关的分子功能、生物学过程和细胞成分。使用WikiPathways进行通路分析,并使用Enrichr进行细胞类型特异性富集。此外,我们使用mirTarbase预测功能性微小RNA,并通过Stitch数据库识别潜在的候选药物。 结果:我们识别出32个与MPOX相关的基因以及大量与神经表现相关的基因。MPOX及其神经表现之间共有10个枢纽基因,包括CD55、CXCL1、NFKB1、CXCL8、CD4、IL6、MX1、CFH、KLRK1和CD46。预测有5个新基因,包括CFHR3、C5AR1、C3AR1、IFNA2和CXCL3与MPOX及其神经并发症相关。基因本体分析突出了免疫调节、病毒生命周期和淋巴细胞活化等生物学过程,而通路富集识别出关键的信号传导机制,如前列腺素信号传导、Toll样受体4(TLR4)信号传导、补体激活和神经炎症。此外,发现T辅助细胞、自然杀伤细胞和小胶质细胞等细胞类型受到MPOX及其常见神经并发症的显著影响。我们识别出11个与MPOX神经表现相关的关键微小RNA,并重新利用了8种潜在药物,提供了有前景的治疗策略。 结论:本研究强调了补体系统、免疫反应和炎症通路在MPOX神经表现中的核心作用。新基因和预测治疗靶点的识别为未来的研究和治疗干预铺平了道路。需要进行实验验证以证实这些发现并确定所提议治疗方法的有效性。
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