miR-146 is a family of microRNA precursors found in mammals, including humans. The ~22 nucleotide mature miRNA sequence is excised from the precursor hairpin by the enzyme Dicer.[1] This sequence then associates with RISC which effects RNA interference.[2]
miR-146 is primarily involved in the regulation of inflammation and other process that function in the innate immune system.[3] Loss of functional miR-146 (and mir-145) could predispose an individual to suffer from chromosome 5q deletion syndrome.[4] miR-146 has also been reported to be highly upregulated in osteoarthritis cartilage, and could be involved in its pathogenesis.[5] mir-146 expression is associated with survival in triple negative breast cancer.[6]
miR-146 is thought to be a mediator of inflammation along with another microRNA, mir-155. The expression of miR-146 is upregulated by inflammatory factors such as interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.[7] miR-146 dysregulates a number of targets which are mostly involved in toll-like receptor pathways that bring about a cytokine response as part of the innate immune system.[3][7] miR-146 operates in a feedback system or "negative regulatory loop"[8] to finely tune inflammatory responses.[4]
miR-146 could be used as a biomarker for sepsis.[9] In addition it was found to be absent from the exosomes of prion infected cells suggesting it could be used as a biomarker for prion infection.[10] miR-146a could be targeted therapeutically as its depletion has implication in the hyperactive response to infection.[11]
↑Gregory RI, Chendrimada TP, Cooch N, Shiekhattar R (Nov 2005). "Human RISC couples microRNA biogenesis and posttranscriptional gene silencing". Cell. 123 (4): 631–40. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2005.10.022. PMID16271387.
↑ 3.03.1Sonkoly E, Ståhle M, Pivarcsi A (Apr 2008). "MicroRNAs and immunity: novel players in the regulation of normal immune function and inflammation". Seminars in Cancer Biology. 18 (2): 131–40. doi:10.1016/j.semcancer.2008.01.005. PMID18291670.
↑Lánczky, András; Nagy, Ádám; Bottai, Giulia; Munkácsy, Gyöngyi; Szabó, András; Santarpia, Libero; Győrffy, Balázs (2016-12-01). "miRpower: a web-tool to validate survival-associated miRNAs utilizing expression data from 2178 breast cancer patients". Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 160 (3): 439–446. doi:10.1007/s10549-016-4013-7. ISSN1573-7217. PMID27744485.
↑ 7.07.1Sheedy FJ, O'Neill LA (Dec 2008). "Adding fuel to fire: microRNAs as a new class of mediators of inflammation". Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 67 Suppl 3: iii50–5. doi:10.1136/ard.2008.100289. PMID19022814.
↑Gîză DE, Vasilescu C (Sep–Oct 2010). "[MicroRNA's role in sepsis and endotoxin tolerance. More players on the stage]". Chirurgia. 105 (5): 625–30. PMID21141085.
Jädersten M, Hellström-Lindberg E (May 2010). "New clues to the molecular pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes". Experimental Cell Research. 316 (8): 1390–6. doi:10.1016/j.yexcr.2010.02.043. PMID20211165.
Chan EK, Ceribelli A, Satoh M (Apr 2013). "MicroRNA-146a in autoimmunity and innate immune responses". Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 72 Suppl 2: ii90–5. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202203. PMID23253933.