Role of non-coding RNA in innate immunity during respiratory viral infections

Respiratory viruses pose a high threat to global health due to their potential to cause widespread outbreaks, as witnessed by the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. They are among the leading causes of mortality associated with communicable diseases globally. The innate immune system serves as the first line of defence against these infections. Aberrant expression of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) finetunes this response by regulating the expression of key signalling molecules, transcription factors, and cytokines involved in antiviral defence. ncRNAs can either enhance or suppress the immune response under different physiological conditions, leading to increased or decreased antiviral immunity and inflammation. Viruses can also exploit ncRNAs for immune evasion by suppressing antiviral response. Beyond the scope of mechanistic perspective, these molecules can be utilized as potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers providing stable and specific clinical settings. Understanding the mechanism opens the therapeutic potential, which also includes several challenges and limitations that need to be addressed in future studies. In this review, we provide a brief insight into understanding the role of ncRNAs in regulating host signalling pathways, emphasizing their potential as therapeutic and diagnostic molecules for respiratory viral infections, with particular focus on Influenza viruses and coronaviruses.