Downregulated expression of miR-155, miR-17, and miR-181b, and upregulated expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase and interferon-α in PBMCs from patients with SLE. Issue 6 (8th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaga, Hagime; Komatsuda, Atsushi; Omokawa, Ayumi; Ito, Mitsugu; Teshima, Kazuaki; Tagawa, Hiroyuki; Sawada, Kenichi; Wakui, Hideki
• Is Part Of: Modern rheumatology. Volume 25:Issue 6(2015)
• Page Start: 865
• Page End: 870
• Publication Date: 2015-09-08
• Subjects: Activation-induced cytidine deaminase -- Interferon-α -- MicroRNAs -- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells -- Systemic lupus erythematosus; Rheumatology -- Periodicals; 616.723005
• DOI: 10.3109/14397595.2015.1030102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1439-7595

Abstract

Abstract : Objective. Recent studies on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) were involved in its pathogenesis. However, only a limited number of miRNAs have been examined. Methods. We performed quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 31 untreated SLE patients and 31 healthy subjects to examine the expression levels of miR-155, miR-17, and miR-181b, as well as those of activation-induced cytidine deaminase ( AID ) and interferon-α ( IFN - α) messenger RNAs (mRNAs). We examined the relationship between miR-181b, AID, and IFN-α with a luciferase reporter assay. Results. The expression levels of miR-155, miR-17, and miR-181b were significantly lower in SLE patients than those in healthy controls, whereas those of AID and IFN-α mRNAs were significantly higher in SLE patients than those in healthy controls. The expression levels of miR-155, miR-17, and miR-181b inversely correlated with those of AID and IFN-α mRNAs in SLE patients. The results of the luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-181b negatively regulated AID and IFN-α. Conclusions. The results of the present study demonstrated for the first time that there is a differential expression and inverse correlation between the levels the miR-155, miR-17, and miR-181b and target molecules, AID and IFN-α mRNAs, in PBMCs of untreated SLE patients. These alterations may contribute to the pathogenesis of SLE.