title: The microRNA-146a/b attenuates acute small-for-size liver graft injury in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A critical role of the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 and its downstream mediators in the pathogenesis of small-for-size liver graft injury has been documented. Recently, the microRNA-146 (miR-146) was identified as a potent negative regulator of the TLR4 signalling pathway. In this study, the role of miR-146a and miR-146b in the attenuation of TLR-4 signalling and small-for-size liver graft injury was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression levels of miR-146a and miR-146b during small-for-size liver graft injury were studied in vivo. In addition, the effects of miR-146a and miR-146b on the expression of IRAK1 and TRAF6 in the rat macrophage cell line NR8383 and rat liver kupffer cells were studied in vitro. The in vivo effect of miR-146a and miR-146b on small-for-size liver graft injury was studied by the tail vein injection of miR-146a mimics and miR-146b mimics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of miR-146a and miR-146b decreased with a small-for-size liver graft. MiR-146a and miR-146b inhibited IRAK1 and TRAF6 expression by binding to the 3'UTR of IRAK1 or TRAF6, respectively, in the rat macrophage cell line NR8383. The administration of miR-146a mimics and miR-146b mimics prevented liver graft injury in small-for-size liver graft injury via the inactivation of IRAK1 and TRAF6 in vivo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  miR-146a and miR-146b prevent liver injury in small-for-size liver graft injury via the inactivation of IRAK1 and TRAF6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatal Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Qingfeng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Longwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Liangliang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Yeting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xiaoqun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Lianbao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D053592:Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D048029:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6 / Q000378:metabolism; D014181:Transplantation Immunology
chemical_list: C554180:MIRN146 microRNA, rat; D035683:MicroRNAs; D048029:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6; C547807:IRAK1 protein, rat; D053592:Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases
keywords: IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 1; Toll-like receptor 4; miR-146; small-for-size liver graft; tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6