Project description:Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced chronic liver disease is one of the leading causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC development following chronic HCV infection remain poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in cellular homeostasis within the liver and deregulation of the miRNome has been associated with liver disease including HCC. While host miRNAs are essential for HCV replication, viral infection in turn appears to induce alterations of intrahepatic miRNA networks. Although the cross-talk between HCV and liver cell miRNAs most likely contributes to liver disease pathogenesis, the functional involvement of miRNAs in HCV-driven hepatocyte injury and HCC remains elusive. Here, we combined a hepatocyte-like based model system, high-throughput small RNA-sequencing, computational analysis and functional studies to investigate HCV-miRNA interactions that may contribute to liver disease and HCC. Profiling analyses indicated that HCV infection differentially regulated the expression of 72 miRNAs by at least two-fold including miRNAs that were previously described to target genes associated with inflammation, fibrosis and cancer development. Further investigation demonstrated that miR-146a-5p was consistently increased in HCV-infected hepatocyte-like cells and primary human hepatocytes as well as in liver tissues from HCV-infected patients. Genome-wide microarray and computational analyses indicated that miR-146a-5p over-expression is related to liver disease and HCC development. Furthermore, we showed that miR-146a-5p positively impacts on late steps of the viral replication cycle thereby increasing HCV infection. Collectively, our data indicate that the HCV-induced increase in miR-146a-5p expression both promotes viral infection and is relevant for pathogenesis of liver disease. To explore the functional relevance of miR-146a-5p up-regulation, we performed a genome-wide transcriptomic analysis of hepatocyte-like cells upon ectopic miR-146a-5p expression.
Project description:Analysis of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from bone marrow and the Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord after manupulating miR-146a-5p expression. miR-146a-5p is involved in controlling the proliferation and migration of MSCs. Results provide miR-146a-5p-regulating genes in MSCs. In this study, BM-MSCs transduced with miR-146a-5p expression vector or pCDH-CMV-MCS-EF1-copGFP vector only, as well as two WJ-MSCs transfected with short interfering RNAs targeting miR-146a or a GFP control.
Project description:Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced chronic liver disease is one of the leading causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC development following chronic HCV infection remain poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in cellular homeostasis within the liver and deregulation of the miRNome has been associated with liver disease including HCC. While host miRNAs are essential for HCV replication, viral infection in turn appears to induce alterations of intrahepatic miRNA networks. Although the cross-talk between HCV and liver cell miRNAs most likely contributes to liver disease pathogenesis, the functional involvement of miRNAs in HCV-driven hepatocyte injury and HCC remains elusive. Here, we combined a hepatocyte-like based model system, high-throughput small RNA-sequencing, computational analysis and functional studies to investigate HCV-miRNA interactions that may contribute to liver disease and HCC. Profiling analyses indicated that HCV infection differentially regulated the expression of 72 miRNAs by at least two-fold including miRNAs that were previously described to target genes associated with inflammation, fibrosis and cancer development. Further investigation demonstrated that miR-146a-5p was consistently increased in HCV-infected hepatocyte-like cells and primary human hepatocytes as well as in liver tissues from HCV-infected patients. Genome-wide microarray and computational analyses indicated that miR-146a-5p over-expression is related to liver disease and HCC development. Furthermore, we showed that miR-146a-5p positively impacts on late steps of the viral replication cycle thereby increasing HCV infection. Collectively, our data indicate that the HCV-induced increase in miR-146a-5p expression both promotes viral infection and is relevant for pathogenesis of liver disease.
Project description:Analysis of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from bone marrow and the Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord after manupulating miR-146a-5p expression. miR-146a-5p is involved in controlling the proliferation and migration of MSCs. Results provide miR-146a-5p-regulating genes in MSCs.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that function as modulators of gene expression. We previously showed that miR-146a-5p is upregulated in pancreatic islets treated with pro-inflammatory cytokines and in pancreatic sections from organ donors with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Other studies have associated overexpression of miR-146a-5p with β cell apoptosis and impaired insulin secretion; however, the molecular mechanisms mediating these effects remain elusive. To investigate the role of miR-146a-5p in β cell function, we developed stable MIN6 cell lines transduced with lentiviral vectors to either overexpress or inhibit the expression of miR-146a-5p. Monoclonal cell populations were treated with pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL1β, IFNg, and TNFα) to model T1D in vitro. We found that overexpression of miR-146a-5p increased the cell death of MIN6 cells under inflammatory stress, whereas inhibition of miR-146a-5p reversed these effects. Additionally, inhibition of miR-146a-5p increased mitochondrial DNA copy number, respiration rate, and ATP production, suggesting that miR-146a-5p inhibition improves mitochondrial function. In support of this finding, we also observed that miR-146a-5p is enriched in the mitochondria of MIN6 cells treated with cytokines. Consistently, bioinformatic analysis of RNA sequencing data using MIN6 stable cells showed enrichment of pathways related to insulin secretion, apoptosis, and mitochondrial function when the expression levels of miR-146a-5p were altered. Overall, the findings from our study show for the first time that miR-146a-5p upregulation during inflammatory stress may promote β cell dysfunction and death by suppressing mitochondrial function.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs and play a crucial role in the regulation of inflammation. White adipose tissue (WAT) covers the body and internal organs in subcutaneous and visceral fat depots, respectively, and represents an important source of circulating miRNAs. The role of WAT and its miRNAs in the context of polytrauma is incompletely understood. However, evidence is accumulating that WAT contributes to the severe inflammatory response observed in polytrauma patients. Therefore, we analyzed the miRNA expression in inguinal WAT depots in a standardized mouse model of polytrauma and hemorrhagic shock (PT+HS). Here, we identified miR-146a-5p and miR-146b-5p to be upregulated upon PT+HS. In an in-vitro model of traumatized human white adipocytes, we found miR-146a-5p to be upregulated by IL-1β-induced NF-B activation. Both, miR-146a-5p and miR-146b-5p, in turn, dampened IL-1β-induced inflammation in human adipocytes. Using target gene prediction tools, we further identified IRAK1 as target of miR-146a-5p, and potentially also miR-146b-5p, confirming the importance of IRAK1 in IL-1β-induced proinflammatory signaling. Thus, miR-146a-5p and miR-146b-5p act as suppressors of IL-1β-induced proinflammatory signaling in human adipocytes during trauma, and blockage of IL-1β or mimics of miR-146a-5p and miR-146b-5p might represent a potential future therapeutic avenue for severe traumatic and inflammatory conditions. We used Affymetrix microRNA array to determine the expression of different microRNAs in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) from five sham-treated mice and five mice with polytrauma and hemorrhagic shock (PT+HS).
Project description:Intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation is a complex and multifactorial condition with challenging diagnosis and limited therapeutic options, highlighting the need for reliable biomarkers to improve clinical decision-making. The aim of this study was to identify circulating prognostic biomarkers of IVD herniation regression. The plasma proteomic profile and the expression of circulating non-coding RNAs wereas analysed in a rat model ofs subjected to IVD herniation and proteomic and miRNA levels were correlated to herni-ation size. Four candidate proteins were identified (TNC, COPS3, JUP, GNAI2) that were significantly correlated with herniation size, with TNC further validated by ELISA. Additionally, miR-143-3p, miR-10b-5p, miR-27a-3p, miR-140-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-146a-5p and miR-21-5p were positively correlated with herniation size. Moreover, TNC, COPS3, JUP and GNAI2 were found to be potentiala targets of miR-155-5p. TNC-miR-155-5p pro-tein-miRNA pair standout as promising candidates to be part of a putative regulatory module worth investigating as a prognostic tool. This study provides the first combined proteomic and miRNAs account of preclinical plasma biomarkers of IVD herniation size, where TNC-miR-155-5p emerge as promising elements of a regulatory module with IVD herniation prognostic potential.
Project description:In our previous study, hsa-let-7d-3p, hsa-let-7e-5p,hsa-miR-146a-5p,hsa-miR-130a-3p, hsa-miR-151a-3p,were significantly upregulated in the plasma of atopic patients. To study the each function of let-7d-3p, let-7e-5p,miR-146a-5p,miR-130a-3p, miR-151a-3p which are significantly upregulated in the plasma of atopic patients, we performed mimic-transfected THP-1 cells, a mononuclear cell line, and performed comprehensive genetic analysis.
Project description:We established stable miR-146a-5p overexpression T24 cells, then performed transcriptome profiling of miR-146a-5p overexpressing cells compared to control T24 cells to detect the molecular mechanisms of the miR-146a-5p’s effect on bladder cancer cells.
Project description:Inflammatory b-cell failure contributes to type 1 and type 2 diabetes pathogenesis. Proinflammatory cytokines cause b-cell dysfunction and apoptosis, and lysine deacetylase inhibitors (KDACi) prevent b-cell failure in vitro and in vivo, in part by reducing NFkB transcriptional activity. Here we investigated the hypothesis that the protective effect of KDACi involves transcriptional regulation of microRNAs (miRs), potential new targets in diabetes treatment. Insulin-producing INS1 cells were cultured with or without the broad-spectrum KDACi Givinostat prior to exposure to the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1-b and IFN-g for 6h or 24h, and miR expression was profiled with miR array. A shortlist of ten miRs (miR-7a-2-3p, miR-29c-3p, miR-96-5p, miR-101a-3p, miR-140-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-146b-5p, miR-340-5p, miR-384-5p, and miR-455-5p) regulated by both cytokines and Givinostat was verified by qRT-PCR. MiR-146a-5p was strongly regulated by cytokines and KDACi and analyzed further. MiR-146a-5p expression was induced by cytokines in rat and human islets. Cytokine-induced miR-146a-5p expression was specific for INS1 and β-TC3 cells, whereas α-TC1 cells exhibited a higher basal expression. Transfection of INS1 cells with miR-146a-5p reduced the activity of NFκB and iNOS promoters, decreased NO production, and decreased protein levels of iNOS and its own direct target TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6). MiR-146a-5p was elevated in diabetes-prone BB-DP rat pancreas at diabetes onset, suggesting that miR-146a-5p could play a role in type 1 diabetes development. The miR array of cytokine-exposed INS1 cells rescued by KDACi revealed several other miRs potentially involved in cytokine-induced b-cell apoptosis, demonstrating the strength of this approach.