microRNA-224 regulates Pentraxin 3, a component of the humoral arm of innate immunity, in inner ear inflammation.
microRNAs (miRNAs) are regulators of differentiation and development of inner ear cells. Mutations in miRNAs lead to deafness in humans and mice. Among inner ear pathologies, inflammation may lead to structural and neuronal defects and eventually to hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction. While the genetic factors of these pathways have not been defined, autoimmunity participates in these processes. We report that inflammatory stimuli in the inner ear induce activation of the innate immune system via miR-224 and pentraxin 3 (Ptx3). miR-224 is a transcriptional target of nuclear factor κB, a key mediator of innate immunity. Ptx3 is a regulator of the immune response. It is released in response to inflammation and regulated by nuclear factor κB. We show that miR-224 and Ptx3 are expressed in the inner ear and we demonstrate that miR-224 targets Ptx3. As a model of the innate immune response, we injected lipopolysaccharide into the scala tympani of mouse inner ears. This resulted in changes in the levels of miR-224 and Ptx3, in addition to activation of the complement system, as measured by immune cell infiltration and activated C3. This suggests that while miR-224 regulates Ptx3 under normal conditions, upon inflammation, both are recruited to offer a front line of defense in acting as responders to inflammation in the inner ear. miR-224 diminishes the innate immune response by down-regulating Ptx3 expression, while Ptx3 stimulates the innate immune response. An understanding of the molecular components of the inflammatory pathway may help develop therapeutics for reducing inflammation associated with inner ear injury.
Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 68878, Israel and.
Anya
A
Rudnicki
Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 68878, Israel and.
Shaked
S
Shivatzki
Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Lisa A
LA
Beyer
Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Yohei
Y
Takada
Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Yehoash
Y
Raphael
Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 68878, Israel and karena@post.tau.ac.il.
Karen B
KB
Avraham
D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007762:Labyrinthitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099153:Pentraxins
D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003176:Complement C3; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000099153:Pentraxins; C584584:MIRN224 microRNA, mouse