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Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
miR-10b-5p is a novel Th17 regulator present in Th17 cells from ankylosing spondylitis
L Chen1, M H Al-Mossawi1, A Ridley1
1Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Objective:
To determine the microRNA (miR) signature in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) T helper (Th)17 cells.
Methods:
Interleukin (IL)-17A-producing CD4+ T cells from patients with AS and healthy controls were FACS-sorted for miR sequencing and qPCR validation. miR-10b function was determined by miR mimic expression followed by cytokine measurement, transcriptome analysis, qPCR and luciferase assays.
Results:
AS Th17 cells exhibited a miR signature characterised by upregulation of miR-155-5p, miR-210-3p and miR-10b. miR-10b has not been described previously in Th17 cells and was selected for further characterisation. miR-10b is transiently induced in in vitro differentiated Th17 cells. Transcriptome, qPCR and luciferase assays suggest that MAP3K7 is targeted by miR-10b. Both miR-10b overexpression and MAP3K7 silencing inhibited production of IL-17A by both total CD4 and differentiating Th17 cells.
Conclusions:
AS Th17 cells have a specific miR signature and upregulate miR-10b in vitro. Our data suggest that miR-10b is upregulated by proinflammatory cytokines and may act as a feedback loop to suppress IL-17A by targeting MAP3K7. miR-10b is a potential therapeutic candidate to suppress pathogenic Th17 cell function in patients with AS.

