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Exploring the Potential Impact of EBV-Derived MicroRNAs on Schizophrenia: A Bioinformatics Investigation
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Zahra Najafi *   |
| Infectious Diseases Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. & Department of Nursing, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran. |
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Abstract: (12 Views) |
Background and Aims: Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe psychiatric disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and cognitive impairments. Its etiology is multifactorial, involving genetic, environmental, and neurodevelopmental factors, yet these alone may not fully explain disease onset and progression, suggesting additional contributors such as infections and immune dysregulation. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has been proposed as a potential factor in psychiatric conditions through EBV-encoded microRNAs (mi-RNAs) that can modulate host gene expression. This study aimed to investigate potential interactions between EBV-derived miRNAs and genes associated with SCZ to identify viral miRNAs that may influence SCZ-relevant gene-expression pathways.
Material and methods: EBV miRNAs and their human target genes were retrieved from the VirMirna database, focusing on experimentally validated interactions. SCZ-associated genes were collected from the DISEASES database using both text-mined and curated evidence. A miRNA–gene interaction network was constructed in Cytoscape and interactions were categorized by reported gene regulation status (upregulation, downregulation, or dysregulation).
Results: We identified 27 EBV miRNAs targeting 70 SCZ-associated genes. Of these, 25 miRNAs were linked through text-mining evidence, while 2 miRNAs were supported by both curated and text-mined sources. ebv-miR-bart19-3p showed the highest connectivity, interacting with 12 SCZ-associated genes. In addition, ebv-miR-bart15 and ebv-miR-bart18-5p were supported across evidence types, suggesting potential relevance to SCZ pathogenesis. Network-level patterns indicated that these miRNAs may influence pathways related to neurotransmitter signaling, synaptic plasticity, and immune responses.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that EBV miRNAs may contribute to SCZ by modulating host genes implicated in key neurological and immune-related pathways. Further research is warranted to validate these interactions and to explore therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating viral-factor impacts on psychiatric health. |
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| Keywords: Schizophrenia, Epstein-Barr virus, microRNAs, gene regulation, psychiatric disorders, neurodevelopment, immune response |
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Full-Text [PDF 686 kb]
(6 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Original article |
Subject:
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Received: 2024/11/13 | Accepted: 2024/06/21 | Published: 2024/06/21
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