miR-106a Is Downregulated in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Chronic Hepatitis B and Associated with Enhanced Levels of Interleukin-8.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate miR-106a expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and to analyze the function of miR-106a.


METHODS
miR-106a expression levels in PBMCs from 40 healthy controls and 56 CHB patients were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The luciferase activity assays were used to determine whether miR-106a binds to 3'UTR of IL-8. miR-106a mimics and inhibitors were transfected into healthy PBMCs. IL-8 mRNA and protein levels were detected and determined by qRT-PCR and ELISA, respectively.


RESULTS
The qRT-PCR results suggested that the PBMC miR-106a levels were decreased in CHB patients. IL-8 was augmented in CHB patients and was inversely correlated with miR-106a levels. The luciferase activity assays indicated that IL-8 is a target of miR-106a. Exogenous expression of miR-106a could significantly repress IL-8 expression at both mRNA and protein levels in PBMCs, whereas miR-106a inhibitor had the opposite effects.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggested that miR-106a is downregulated in PBMCs of CHB patients and that miR-106a may play an important role in CHB by targeting IL-8.
Department of Infectious Disease, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, China.
Zhongsi
Z
Hong
Department of Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, China.
Haiyu
H
Hong
Department of Infectious Disease, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, China.
Jian
J
Liu
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, China.
Xiaobin
X
Zheng
Department of Infectious Disease, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, China.
Mingxing
M
Huang
Department of Infectious Disease, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, China.
Chunna
C
Li
Department of Infectious Disease, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519000, China.
Jinyu
J
Xia
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
C508606:CXCL8 protein, human; D016209:Interleukin-8; C542541:MIRN106 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs