TGF-β conditions intestinal T cells to express increased levels of miR-155, associated with down-regulation of IL-2 and itk mRNA

Mucosal Immunol. 2013 Jan;6(1):167-76. doi: 10.1038/mi.2012.60. Epub 2012 Jul 11.

Abstract

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, is an immunosuppressive cytokine that inhibits T-cell activation. We hypothesized that TGF-β mediates its immunoinhibitory effects by modulation of micro RNA (miRNA)-155 (miR-155). Interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon-γ are down-regulated by TGF-β in activated CD4 peripheral blood T cells and lamina propria T cells (LPT), but miR-155 is upregulated ninefold specifically in LPT. Consequently, this study focuses on the role of TGF-β-enhanced miR-155 on LPT immune responses. TGF-β induces miR-155 in both freshly isolated and LPT lymphoblasts, whereas other inducible miRNAs are not regulated by TGF-β. Using MAMI bioinformatics database, we determined that inducible T-cell kinase (itk) is a functional target of miR-155 that exhibits an inverse mRNA response to that of miR-155. To determine experimentally that miR-155 regulates itk, transfection experiments were performed that demonstrated miR-155 overexpression decreased itk and IL-2 mRNA, whereas antagonism of miR-155 restored both mRNAs in activated cells. These findings describe a TGF-β-dependent function for miR-155 in modulating cytokine and T-cell immune responses in the gut.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Silencing
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Intestines / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-2
  • MIRN155 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • emt protein-tyrosine kinase