HIV-1 gp120 influences the expression of microRNAs in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells via STAT3 activation

• DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1673-3
• Publication Date: 2015-06-26T13:53:06Z
• Authors: Andrea Masotti; Gloria Donninelli; Letizia Da Sacco; Barbara Varano; Manuela Del Cornò; Sandra Gessani
• Keywords: STAT3 Transcription Factor; 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Gene Expression; Dendritic Cells; HIV Envelope Protein gp120; 7. Clean energy; Monocytes; 3. Good health; MicroRNAs; 03 medical and health sciences; 13. Climate action; Genetics; HIV-1; Humans; Dendritic cell; gp120; HIV-1; microRNA; STAT3; Biotechnology; Genetics; Biotechnology; Research Article; Signal Transduction

MicroRNAs (miRs) are an abundant class of small non-coding RNAs (~22 nt) that reprogram gene expression by targeting mRNA degradation and translational disruption. An emerging concept implicates miR coupling with transcription factors in myeloid cell development and function, thus contributing to host defense and inflammation. The important role that these molecules play in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 is only now emerging.We provide evidence that exposure of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs) to recombinant HIV-1 R5 gp120, but not to CCR5 natural ligand CCL4, influences the expression of a panel of miRs (i.e., miR-21, miR-155 and miR-181b) regulated by STAT3 and potentially targeting genes belonging to the STAT3 signaling pathway. The blockage of gp120-induced STAT3 activation impairs gp120 capacity to modulate the expression level of above mentioned miRs. Predictive analysis of miR putative targets emphasizes that these miRs share common target genes. Furthermore, gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis outline that these genes mainly belong to biological processes related to regulation of transcription, in a complex network of interactions involving pathways relevant to HIV-DC interaction.Overall, these results point to gp120-triggered modulation of miR expression via STAT3 activation as a novel molecular mechanism exploited by HIV-1 to affect DC biology and thus modulate the immune response through complex regulatory loops involving, at the same time, miRs and transcription factors.