title: MicroRNAs affect dendritic cell function and phenotype.
abstract: MicroRNA (miRNA) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that have been linked with immunity through regulating/modulating gene expression. A role for these molecules in T-cell and B-cell development and function has been well established. An increasing body of literature now highlights the importance of specific miRNA in dendritic cell (DC) development as well as their maturation process, antigen presentation capacity and cytokine release. Given the unique role of DC within the immune system, linking the innate and adaptive immune responses, understanding how specific miRNA affect DC function is of importance for understanding disease. In this review we summarize recent developments in miRNA and DC research, highlighting the requirement of miRNA in DC lineage commitment from bone marrow progenitors and for the development of subsets such as plasmacytoid DC and conventional DC. In addition, we discuss how infections and tumours modulate miRNA expression and consequently DC function.
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Transplantation, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lesley A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: Dominic A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Boardman
authors.forename: Sim L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lechler
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lombardi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: dendritic cells; immune modulation; microRNAs