Enhanced susceptibility to Citrobacter rodentium infection in microRNA-155-deficient mice

Infect Immun. 2013 Mar;81(3):723-32. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00969-12. Epub 2012 Dec 21.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding molecules that control gene expression posttranscriptionally, with microRNA-155 (miR-155) one of the first to be implicated in immune regulation. Here, we show that miR-155-deficient mice are less able to eradicate a mucosal Citrobacter rodentium infection than wild-type C57BL/6 mice. miR-155-deficient mice exhibited prolonged colonization associated with a higher C. rodentium burden in gastrointestinal tissue and spread into systemic tissues. Germinal center formation and humoral immune responses against C. rodentium were severely impaired in infected miR-155-deficient mice. A similarly susceptible phenotype was observed in μMT mice reconstituted with miR-155-deficient B cells, indicating that miR-155 is required intrinsically for mediating protection against this predominantly luminal bacterial pathogen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Citrobacter rodentium*
  • Colitis / genetics
  • Colitis / microbiology
  • Colitis / pathology
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / genetics
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / immunology
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / metabolism
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • Mirn155 microRNA, mouse
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S