The Computational Analysis of Single Nucleotide Associated with MicroRNA Affecting Hepatitis B Infection.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have a pivotal role in Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection and its complications by targeting the cellular transcription factors required for gene expression or directly binding to HBV transcripts. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA genes affect their expression and the regulation of target genes, clinical course, diagnosis, and therapeutic interventions of HBV infection.

Methods: Computational assessment and cataloging of miRNA gene polymorphisms targeting mRNA transcripts straightly or indirectly through the regulation of hepatitis B infection by annotating the functional impact of SNPs on mRNA-miRNA and miRNA-RBS (miRNA binding sites) interaction were screened by applying various universally available datasets such as the miRNA SNP3.0 software.

Results: 2987 SNPs were detected in 139 miRNAs affecting hepatitis B infection. Among them, 313 SNPs were predicted to have a significant role in the progression of hepatitis B infection. The computational analysis also revealed that 45 out of the 313 SNPs were located in the seed region and were more important than others. Has-miR-139-3p had the largest number of SNPs in the seed region (n=6). On the other hand, proteoglycans in cancer, adherens junction, lysine degradation, NFkappa B signaling cascade, ECM-receptor binding, viral carcinogenesis, fatty acid metabolism, TGF-beta signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, immune evasion related pathways, and fatty acid biosynthesis were the most important pathways affected by these 139 miRNAs.

Conclusion: The results revealed 45 SNPs in the seed region of 25 miRNAs as the catalog in miRNA genes that regulated the hepatitis B infection. The results also showed the most important pathways regulated by these miRNAs that can be targeted for therapeutic purposes.