IN-SILICO APPROACH FOR PREDICTING HUMAN MICRORNA TARGETS AGAINST DENGUE VIRUS

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression and play critical roles in the host immune response and viral pathogenesis. Dengue virus (DENV), a mosquito-borne pathogen, remains a major public health concern worldwide. Objectives: This study aimed to identify human miRNAs with the potential to target the DENV genome using computational prediction tools, including RNA22, RNAhybrid, and miRanda, to explore possible miRNA–mRNA interactions. By predicting their binding sites on the viral genome, the study seeks to pinpoint human-derived miRNAs that may exert antiviral effects against DENV. Additionally, it evaluates how these miRNAs interact with viral proteins to investigate their potential role in inhibiting dengue virus replication. Methodology: CLC Genome Workbench was used to analyze the full DENV genome sequence obtained from NCBI. The miRBase database contained 2658 human miRNAs. The DENV genome’s miRNA target sites were predicted using three computational tools: RNAhybrid, miRanda, and RNA22. The stability and binding affinity of the identified miRNAs were evaluated using molecular docking and sequence conservation analyses, with an emphasis on the NS2A protein. Results: The study identified several miRNA-binding sites throughout the dengue viral genome. Hsa-miR-2110 demonstrated robust interactions with NS2A, NS3, NS1, and the envelope (E) protein. The strong binding affinity of hsa-miR-2110 to the NS2A protein was validated by molecular docking, suggesting a potential role in inhibiting viral replication. The core nucleotide sequence is crucial for miRNA binding across many DENV strains, as indicated by sequence conservation analysis. Conclusion: This computational analysis underscores the potential regulatory role of human miRNAs in dengue virus infection. The findings suggest that hsa-miR-2110 may serve as a promising therapeutic target for antiviral interventions. However, its efficacy in inhibiting DENV replication and its applicability in miRNA-based therapies require further experimental validation.