MicroRNA-100-5p indirectly modulates the expression of Il6, Ptgs1/2 and Tlr4 mRNA in the mouse follicular dendritic cell-like cell line, FL-Y: Expression of mmu-miR-100-5p by FL-Y cells

Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) are important stromal cells within the B cell follicles and germinal centres (GC) of secondary lymphoid tissues. FDC trap and retain native antigens on their surfaces in the form of immune complexes which they display to B cells, in order to select those cells with the highest antigen affinity. MicroRNAs are short, non-coding RNAs of approximately 18-25 nucleotides in length that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level by repressing the translation of target genes. In the current study in vivo and in vitro systems were used to identify microRNAs that were potentially expressed by FDC. Constitutive lymphotoxin-β receptor (LTβR) stimulation is required to maintain FDC in their differentiated state. We show that the rapid de-differentiation of spleen FDC that accompanied LTβR-blockade, coincided with a significant decrease in the expression of mmu-miR-100-5p, mmu-miR-138-5p and mmu-miR-2137. These microRNAs were shown to be expressed in the FDC-like cell line, FL-YB, and specific inhibition of mmu-miR-100-5p significantly enhanced expression of Il6, Ptgs1/2 and Tlr4 mRNA in this cell line. The expression of Il6, Ptgs1/2 and Tlr4 by FDC play important roles in regulating GC size and promoting high-affinity antibody responses, thus it is plausible that mmu-miR-100-5p may help regulate the expression of these genes during GC reactions.