Circular RNAs: New Epigenetic Signatures in Viral Infections

Javid Sadri Nahand; Sogol Jamshidi; Michael R Hamblin; Maryam Mahjoubin-Tehran; Massoud Vosough; Marzieh Jamali; Alireza Khatami; Mohsen Moghoofei; Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi; Hamed Mirzaei

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.01853

Circular RNAs: New Epigenetic Signatures in Viral Infections

Front Microbiol. 2020 Jul 31:11:1853. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01853. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Javid Sadri Nahand^{1

2}, Sogol Jamshidi¹, Michael R Hamblin^{3

4

5}, Maryam Mahjoubin-Tehran^{6

7}, Massoud Vosough⁸, Marzieh Jamali⁹, Alireza Khatami^{1

2}, Mohsen Moghoofei¹⁰, Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi^{11

12}, Hamed Mirzaei¹³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
⁵ Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa.
⁶ Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
⁷ Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
⁸ Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
⁹ Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Mahdieh Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
¹⁰ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
¹¹ Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
¹² Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
¹³ Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.

Abstract

Covalent closed circular RNAs (circRNAs) can act as a bridge between non-coding RNAs and coding messenger RNAs. CircRNAs are generated by a back-splicing mechanism during post-transcriptional processing and are abundantly expressed in eukaryotic cells. CircRNAs can act via the modulation of RNA transcription and protein production, and by the sponging of microRNAs (miRNAs). CircRNAs are now thought to be involved in many different biological and pathological processes. Some studies have suggested that the expression of host circRNAs is dysregulated in several types of virus-infected cells, compared to control cells. It is highly likely that viruses can use these molecules for their own purposes. In addition, some viral genes are able to produce viral circRNAs (VcircRNA) by a back-splicing mechanism. However, the viral genes that encode VcircRNAs, and their functions, are poorly studied. In this review, we highlight some new findings about the interaction of host circRNAs and viral infection. Moreover, the potential of VcircRNAs derived from the virus itself, to act as biomarkers and therapeutic targets is summarized.

Keywords: VcircRNA; back-splicing; biomarker; circular RNA; epigenetics; viral infection.

Publication types

Review