title: Differential microRNA epression in asthma and the role of miR-1248 in regulation of IL-5.
abstract: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that can be difficult to manage due to a lack of diagnostic biomarkers and an incomplete understanding of the molecular pathogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded, non-coding RNAs with increasing importance in regulation of immune function and as biomarkers. We profiled miRNAs in the serum of asthmatics and non-asthmatic controls to identify miRNAs that could serve as diagnostic markers and potential regulators of allergic inflammation. Differential expression of miR-1248, miR-26a, Let-7a, and Let-7d were observed in asthmatic patients compared to controls. Predictive algorithm analyses of these miRNAs revealed their specificity for different Th2 cytokines, including IL-5, which has not previously been shown to be post-transcriptionally regulated. Using multiple approaches, we showed that miR-1248 physically interacts with the IL-5 transcript in the 3' untranslated region and serves as a positive regulator to increase IL-5 expression. Collectively, our results demonstrate a previously uncharacterized mode of regulation of IL-5 expression and potential use for miRNAs in the diagnosis and clinical management of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Section of Allergy and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 500 University Dr. Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
authors.forename: Ronaldo Paolo L
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Panganiban
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Pinkerton
authors.forename: Saumya Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Maru
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.forename: Alanna N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Roff
authors.forename: Faoud T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Ishmael
keywords: Asthma; biomarkers; cytokines; interleukin-5; microRNA