Role of miR-155 in inflammatory autoimmune diseases: a comprehensive review

MiR-155 is a member of the microRNAs (miRNAs) family and regulates gene expression post-transcriptionally by binding to the 3'UTR of target mRNA. MiR-155 has a critical role in both innate and adaptive immunity. MiR-155 is aberrantly expressed in inflammatory autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Functional studies suggest that miR-155 is involved in development of these diseases. In vitro and in vivo experiments have shown that inhibition of miR-155 can alter disease progression or ameliorate disease symptoms.

A systematic review of relevant literatures published between January 1, 2005, and March 1, 2022 about miR-155 and its role in immune cells, autoimmune diseases was searched on PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar.

In this review, we comprehensively discussed the effects of miR-155, including role of miR-155 in different downstream signaling, which then differently regulate immune cells expression and functions. Furthermore, miR-155-mediated dysfunction of immune cells contributed to development of inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Therefore, miR-155 is expected to be a therapeutic target for inflammatory autoimmune diseases.