title: Down-regulation of MicroRNA-31 in CD4+ T Cells Contributes to Immunosuppression in Human Sepsis by Promoting TH2 Skewing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immunosuppression has been recognized as a major cause of sepsis-related mortality. Currently, there is much interest in identifying central hubs controlling septic immunoparalysis. In this context, in this study, the authors investigate the role of microRNA-31 (miR-31) as a regulator of T cell functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary human T cells were separated from healthy volunteers (n = 16) and from sepsis patients by magnetic beads (n = 23). Expression of mRNA/microRNA (miRNA) was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Gene silencing was performed by small interfering RNA transfection, and miRNA-binding sites were validated by reporter gene assays. Effects of miR-31 or anti-miR-31 transfection were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overexpression of miR-31 in stimulated CD4 T cells promoted a proinflammatory phenotype with increased levels of interferon-γ (1.63 ± 0.43; P = 0.001; means ± SD) and reduced expression of interleukin (IL)-2 (0.66 ± 0.19; P = 0.005) and IL-4 (0.80 ± 0.2; P = 0.0001). In contrast, transfection of anti-miR-31 directed cells toward a TH2 phenotype. Effects on IL-2 and IL-4 were mediated by targeting of nuclear factor-kappa B-inducing kinase and factor-inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor-1α. Interferon-γ, however, was influenced via control of signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM)-associated protein, an essential adaptor molecule of immunomodulatory SLAM receptor signaling, which was identified as a novel target gene of miR-31. In sepsis patients, an epigenetically driven down-regulation of miR-31 was found (0.44 ± 0.25; P = 0.0001), associated with increased nuclear factor-kappa B-inducing kinase, factor-inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, SLAM-associated protein expression, and a cytokine shift toward TH2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, the authors provide novel evidence of miR-31 as an emerging key posttranscriptional regulator of sepsis-associated immunosuppression. The study results contribute to a further understanding of septic immunoparalysis and provide new perspectives on miRNA-based diagnostic approaches.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Anesthesiology, University of Munich Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: van der Heide
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Möhnle
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rink
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Briegel
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kreth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C534612:MIRN31 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs