Influenza B virus is a member of the Orthomyxoviridae family which can infect humans and causes influenza. Although it is not pandemic like influenza A virus, it nevertheless affects millions of people worldwide annually. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs regulating gene expression at posttranscriptional level. They play various important roles in cellular processes including response to viral infection. MiRNA profiles from our previous study suggested that miR-30e-3p was one of the upregulated miRNAs that responded to influenza B virus infection. In this study, in silico prediction and in vitro investigation proved that this miRNA can directly target NA and NP genes of the influenza B virus and inhibit its replication. This finding might be useful for using miRNA as an alternative therapeutics for influenza virus infection.

Impact statement

This is the first study to investigate the function of human miRNA in influenza B virus infection. The hsa-miR-30e-3p was computationally predicted and in vitro studies proved that this miRNA can directly target viral NA and NP genes and inhibit influenza B virus replication. Thus, it is the first report suggesting that human miRNA can directly target influenza B virus and inhibit viral replication. It also proved the concept that in response to viral infection, some host miRNAs are upregulated and miRNA can be used as a silencing strategy to inhibit viral replication at the early stage of viral infection.

中文翻译：

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Hsa-miR-30e-3p 通过靶向病毒 NA 和 NP 基因抑制乙型流感病毒复制。

B 型流感病毒是正粘病毒科的成员，可感染人类并引起流感。虽然它不像甲型流感病毒那样大流行，但它仍然每年影响全世界数百万人。MicroRNA 是在转录后水平调节基因表达的小型非编码 RNA。它们在细胞过程中发挥着各种重要作用，包括对病毒感染的反应。我们之前研究的 miRNA 谱表明 miR-30e-3p 是对乙型流感病毒感染有反应的上调 miRNA 之一。在这项研究中，计算机预测和体外调查证明，这种miRNA可以直接靶向乙型流感病毒的NA和NP基因并抑制其复制。这一发现可能有助于使用 miRNA 作为流感病毒感染的替代疗法。

影响陈述

这是第一项研究人类 miRNA 在乙型流感病毒感染中的功能的研究。hsa-miR-30e-3p 是通过计算预测的，体外研究证明这种 miRNA 可以直接靶向病毒 NA 和 NP 基因并抑制乙型流感病毒的复制。因此，这是首次报道表明人类miRNA可以直接靶向乙型流感病毒并抑制病毒复制。这也证明了一个概念，即响应病毒感染，一些宿主 miRNA 被上调，miRNA 可以作为一种沉默策略，在病毒感染的早期抑制病毒复制。