Up-regulation of microRNA-155 in macrophages contributes to increased tumor necrosis factor {alpha} (TNF{alpha}) production via increased mRNA half-life in alcoholic liver disease

J Biol Chem. 2011 Jan 14;286(2):1436-44. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.145870. Epub 2010 Nov 9.

Abstract

Activation of Kupffer cells (KCs) by gut-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Toll-Like Receptors 4 (TLR4)-LPS-mediated increase in TNFα production has a central role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. Micro-RNA (miR)-125b, miR-146a, and miR-155 can regulate inflammatory responses to LPS. Here we evaluated the involvement of miRs in alcohol-induced macrophage activation. Chronic alcohol treatment in vitro resulted in a time-dependent increase in miR-155 but not miR-125b or miR-146a levels in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, alcohol pretreatment augmented LPS-induced miR-155 expression in macrophages. We found a linear correlation between alcohol-induced increase in miR-155 and TNFα induction. In a mouse model of alcoholic liver disease, we found a significant increase in both miR-155 levels and TNFα production in isolated KCs when compared with pair-fed controls. The mechanistic role of miR-155 in TNFα regulation was indicated by decreased TNFα levels in alcohol-treated macrophages after inhibition of miR-155 and by increased TNFα production after miR-155 overexpression, respectively. We found that miR-155 affected TNFα mRNA stability because miR-155 inhibition decreased whereas miR-155 overexpression increased TNFα mRNA half-life. Using the NF-κB inhibitors, MG-132 or Bay11-7082, we demonstrated that NF-κB activation mediated the up-regulation of miR-155 by alcohol in KCs. In conclusion, our novel data demonstrate that chronic alcohol consumption increases miR-155 in macrophages via NF-κB and the increased miR-155 contributes to alcohol-induced elevation in TNFα production via increased mRNA stability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / pharmacology
  • Chronic Disease
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Ethanol / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Kupffer Cells / drug effects
  • Kupffer Cells / pathology
  • Kupffer Cells / physiology
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / genetics*
  • Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / pathology
  • Macrophages / cytology
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • RNA Stability / physiology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / physiology
  • Up-Regulation / physiology

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Depressants
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • MicroRNAs
  • Mirn155 microRNA, mouse
  • NF-kappa B
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Ethanol