MicroRNA-146a and MicroRNA-146b Expression and Anti-inflammatory Function in Human Airway Smooth Muscle
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2014
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1152/ajplung.00174.2014
Abstract
MicroRNA (miR)-146a and miR-146b are negative regulators of inflammatory gene expression in lung fibroblasts, epithelial cells, monocytes, and endothelial cells. The abundance of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and IL-1β is negatively regulated by the miR-146 family, suggesting miR-146a and/or miR-146b might modulate inflammatory mediator expression in airway smooth muscle thereby contributing to pathogenesis of asthma. To test this idea we compared miR-146a and miR-146b expression in human airway smooth muscle cells (hASMCs) from nonasthmatic and asthmatic subjects treated with cytomix (IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFNγ) and examined the miRNAs' effects on COX-2 and IL-1β expression. We found that cytomix treatment elevated miR-146a and miR-146b abundance. Induction with cytomix was greater than induction with individual cytokines, and asthmatic cells exhibited higher levels of miR-146a expression following cytomix treatment than nonasthmatic cells. Transfection of miR-146a or miR-146b mimics reduced COX-2 and IL-1β expression. A miR-146a inhibitor increased COX-2 and IL-1β expression, but a miR-146b inhibitor was ineffective. Repression of COX-2 and IL-1β expression by miR-146a correlated with reduced abundance of the RNA-binding protein human antigen R. These results demonstrate that miR-146a and miR-146b expression is inducible in hASMCs by proinflammatory cytokines and that miR-146a expression is greater in asthmatic cells. Both miR-146a and miR-146b can negatively regulate COX-2 and IL-1β expression at pharmacological levels, but loss-of-function studies showed that only miR-146a is an endogenous negative regulator in hASMCs. The results suggest miR-146 mimics may be an attractive candidate for further preclinical studies as an anti-inflammatory treatment of asthma.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, v. 307, issue 9, p. L661-L734
Scholar Commons Citation
Comer, Brian S.; Camoretti-Mercado, Blanca; Kogut, Paul C.; Halayko, Andrew J.; Solway, Julian; and Gerthoffer, William T., "MicroRNA-146a and MicroRNA-146b Expression and Anti-inflammatory Function in Human Airway Smooth Muscle" (2014). Internal Medicine Faculty Publications. 200.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/intmed_facpub/200
