title: Post-transcriptional control of cytokine gene expression in health and disease.
abstract: Post-transcriptional control of cytokine gene expression is essential for rapid and transient response to stimuli and external stress. In health, post-transcriptional control is exerted by a number of trans-acting RNA-binding proteins and cis-acting sequence elements. These elements exist largely in the 3' untranslated region and comprise microRNA targets and notably AU-rich elements, and exert regulated mRNA decay and translation repression. Defects in this control can lead to increased and sustained production of pro-inflammatory mediators contributing to several chronic inflammatory disease and cancer states. This introduction to the Journal's special issue on the topic summarizes, in a non-comprehensive list, the types of RNA-binding protein and their target cytokines, and potential contributions to disease, and presents the highlights of the individual reviews.
authors.affiliation: Department of BioMolecular Research, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre , Riyadh, Saudi Arabia .
authors.forename: Khalid S A
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Khabar
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D063307:AU Rich Elements / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional / Q000276:immunology; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators