Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). To date, there is no effective therapeutic approach for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized to target the viral genome directly or indirectly, thereby inhibiting viral replication. Several studies have demonstrated that host miRNAs target different sites in SARS-CoV-2 RNA and constrain the production of essential viral proteins. Furthermore, miRNAs have lower toxicity, are more immunogenic, and are more diverse than protein-based and even plasmid-DNA-based therapeutic agents. In this review, we emphasize the role of miRNAs in viral infection and their potential use as therapeutic agents against COVID-19 disease. The potential of novel miRNA delivery strategies, especially EDV™ nanocells, for targeting lung tissue for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection is also discussed.

2019 年冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 是由严重急性呼吸系统综合症冠状病毒 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 引起的。迄今为止，尚无有效的治疗方法来治疗 SARS-CoV-2 感染。MicroRNA (miRNA) 已被认为可以直接或间接靶向病毒基因组，从而抑制病毒复制。多项研究表明，宿主 miRNA 靶向 SARS-CoV-2 RNA 中的不同位点，并限制必需病毒蛋白的产生。此外，与基于蛋白质甚至基于质粒DNA的治疗剂相比，miRNA具有更低的毒性、更强的免疫原性并且更加多样化。在这篇综述中，我们强调了 miRNA 在病毒感染中的作用及其作为 COVID-19 疾病治疗药物的潜在用途。还讨论了新型 miRNA 递送策略（尤其是 EDV™ 纳米细胞）针对肺组织治疗 SARS-CoV-2 感染的潜力。