Non-Coding RNAs in Viral Infections: Regulators of Host Response and Disease Progression

Abstract

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), once considered transcriptional noise, have emerged as crucial regulators of gene expression in various biological processes, including host-pathogen interactions. In the context of viral infections, ncRNAs play multifaceted roles, influencing both viral replication and the host’s intricate immune response. This review provides an overview of the major classes of ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), highlighting their diverse mechanisms of action in modulating viral life cycles, immune evasion strategies, and the host’s antiviral defenses. We discuss how both host-encoded and virus-encoded ncRNAs contribute to disease progression and explore their potential as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Understanding the complex interplay between ncRNAs and viral infections offers new avenues for developing novel antiviral strategies and immunomodulatory interventions [1, 2].