MicroRNA-155 Modulation in Immune Responses

MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is a conserved, 22-nucleotide non-coding RNA that fine-tunes immune function by post-transcriptional repression of target messenger RNAs. Rapidly induced upon pathogen recognition, miR-155 orchestrates both innate and adaptive responses by targeting key signalling mediators, transcription factors and suppressors of cytokine signalling. In macrophages it drives pro-inflammatory M1 polarisation and cytokine production, while in T lymphocytes it influences differentiation and effector function. MiR-155 engages in feedback loops with NF-κB and other non-coding RNAs to ensure robust but self-limiting inflammation. Aberrant miR-155 expression is implicated in chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, infection control and tumour immunity, making it both a biomarker and a therapeutic target for immune-mediated diseases.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have elucidated the role of miR-155 in tuning macrophage inflammatory programmes through an NF-κB–miRNA regulatory network. Elevated miR-155 expression was shown to potentiate NF-κB activity, overriding the negative feedback of miR-146a and driving a robust yet time-limited inflammatory response. In macrophages lacking miR-155, responses to subthreshold stimuli were blunted, underlining miR-155’s dominant function in promoting effective innate immunity. Temporal analysis revealed that asynchronous induction of miR-155 and miR-146a establishes a positive–negative feedback circuit, ensuring both amplification and resolution of inflammation.

MicroRNA-155 Modulation in Immune Responses publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in microrna-155 modulation in immune responses across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

microRNA: Small (~22 nucleotide) non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by targeting messenger RNAs for degradation or translational repression.

NF-κB: A transcription factor central to immune and inflammatory signalling, governing the expression of cytokines, chemokines and miRNAs.

Digital PCR (dPCR): A highly sensitive method for absolute quantification of nucleic acids without the need for standard curves, enabling precise measurement of low-abundance miRNAs.

Macrophage polarisation: The process by which macrophages adopt pro-inflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotypes in response to environmental cues.

References

1. The Impact of miR-155-5p on Myotube Differentiation: Elucidating Molecular Targets in Skeletal Muscle Disorders. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
2. Digital PCR (dPCR) Quantification of miR-155-5p as a Potential Candidate for a Tissue Biomarker of Inflammation in Rabbits Infected with Lagovirus europaeus/Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV). Viruses (2023).
3. An NF-κB-microRNA regulatory network tunes macrophage inflammatory responses. Nature Communications (2017).
4. The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Phytochemicals and Their Effects on Epigenetic Mechanisms Involved in TLR4/NF-κB-Mediated Inflammation. Frontiers in Immunology (2021).