miRNAs: The Key Regulator of COVID-19 Disease

Figure 1

Plausible host miRNA action modes in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Host miRNAs may regulate the COVID-19 infection through 5 processes: 1—posttranscriptional regulation of the expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2, 2—downregulation of the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 gene expression, 3—binding to the viral genome and silencing or degrading it, 4—immunosuppression of cytokine storm through regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokine genes (IL-10, TGF-β1,2, etc.), and 5—downregulation of the proinflammatory cytokine gene overexpression (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). Abbreviations: ACE2: angiotensin-converting enzyme; MiR: microRNA; TMPRSS2: transmembrane protease serine 2.