title: MicroRNA-155 regulates the Th17 immune response by targeting Ets-1 in Behçet's disease.
abstract: The goal of this study was to investigate whether microRNA-155 might be a potential therapeutic target for Behçet's disease (BD).
  
  
  
  Expression levels of miR-155 were quantified using TaqMan microRNA assays in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in isolated CD4+ T cells from BD patients and healthy controls. To identify targets of miR-155, luciferase reporter assays and western blotting were performed. The effect of miR-155 on Th17 polarisation was analysed in patients with active BD by using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  
  The expression of miR-155 and IL-17 was significantly increased in CD4+ T cells of patients with active BD. A luciferase reporter assay and western blot showed that Ets-1 expression was reduced by miR-155 mimics. Furthermore, the expression of Ets-1 was significantly decreased in patients with active BD compared to healthy controls. More importantly, repression of miR-155 in CD4+ T cells from active BD patients increased Ets-1 expression and reduced the number of IL- 17-expressing T cells and overall IL-17 production.
  
  
  
  MiR-155 regulates the Th17 immune response by targeting Ets-1. Suppression of miR-155 reduced the amount of pathogenic IL-17-expressing T cells and may be a potential therapeutic strategy for BD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea. esl@ajou.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Eun-So
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: C494041:ETS1 protein, human; D020381:Interleukin-17; C524942:MIRN155 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1