Allogeneic T cell responses are regulated by a specific miRNA-mRNA network

J Clin Invest. 2013 Nov;123(11):4739-54. doi: 10.1172/JCI70013.

Abstract

Donor T cells that respond to host alloantigens following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) induce graft-versus-host (GVH) responses, but their molecular landscape is not well understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene (mRNA) expression and fine-tune the molecular responses of T cells. We stimulated naive T cells with either allogeneic or nonspecific stimuli and used argonaute cross-linked immunoprecipitation (CLIP) with subsequent ChIP microarray analyses to profile miR responses and their direct mRNA targets. We identified a unique expression pattern of miRs and mRNAs following the allostimulation of T cells and a high correlation between the expression of the identified miRs and a reduction of their mRNA targets. miRs and mRNAs that were predicted to be differentially regulated in allogeneic T cells compared with nonspecifically stimulated T cells were validated in vitro. These analyses identified wings apart-like homolog (Wapal) and synaptojanin 1 (Synj1) as potential regulators of allogeneic T cell responses. The expression of these molecular targets in vivo was confirmed in MHC-mismatched experimental BMT. Targeted silencing of either Wapal or Synj1 prevented the development of GVH response, confirming a role for these regulators in allogeneic T cell responses. Thus, this genome-wide analysis of miRNA-mRNA interactions identifies previously unrecognized molecular regulators of T cell responses.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Allografts
  • Animals
  • Argonaute Proteins / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Graft vs Host Disease
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Isoantigens
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / immunology
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / immunology
  • Proteins / immunology
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Argonaute Proteins
  • Isoantigens
  • MicroRNAs
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • WAPL protein, mouse
  • synaptojanin
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases