miRNA in mycosis fungoides and skin inflammation

In this mini-review, progress in our understanding of the link between miRNAs and cytokines in inflammatory skin diseases is highlighted with focus on miR-155 in mycosis fungoides (MF). MF is the most common variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and is characterized by malignant T-cell proliferation in a chronic inflammatory environment in affected skin. Recent data show that miR-155 is expressed in situ by both malignant and non-malignant T cells, induced via the STAT5 signal pathway and IL-2Rbeta/gamma cytokines, and thus suggest the importance of miR-155 in malignant proliferation, clinical diagnosis, and prognosis in CTCL.