Human activated CD4(+) T lymphocytes increase IL-2 expression by downregulating microRNA-181c.
MicroRNAs, a large family of small regulatory RNAs, are posttranscriptional gene regulators that bind mRNA in a sequence-specific manner, thereby controlling diverse aspects of cell function, including immune reaction. In this study, we screened and identified a group of differentially expressed miRNAs in naive and activated CD4(+) T cells. Among the miRNAs studied, miR-181c was proven to have the potential to regulate CD4(+) T cell activation. miR-181c was downregulated in the process of CD4(+) T cell activation, and transfection of miR-181c mimics partially repressed the activation of both Jurkat cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) CD4(+) T cells. We further showed that miR-181c can bind to the IL-2 3' UTR and repress its expression by inhibiting translation. Moreover, miR-181c mimics reduced activated CD4(+) T cell proliferation. Taken together, our results show that miR-181c serves as a negative regulator that modulates the activation of CD4(+) T cells.
State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China.
Qian
Q
Xue
Zhang-Yan
ZY
Guo
Wei
W
Li
Wei-Hong
WH
Wen
Yan-Ling
YL
Meng
Lin-Tao
LT
Jia
Jian
J
Wang
Li-Bo
LB
Yao
Bo-Quan
BQ
Jin
Tao
T
Wang
An-Gang
AG
Yang
D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
C508594:IL2 protein, human; D007376:Interleukin-2; C540193:MIrn181 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger