NK cells develop in the bone marrow and complete their maturation in peripheral organs, but the molecular events controlling maturation are incompletely understood. The miR-15/16 family of microRNA regulates key cellular processes and is abundantly expressed in NK cells. In this study, we identify a critical role for miR-15/16 in the normal maturation of NK cells using a mouse model of NK-specific deletion, in which immature NK cells accumulate in the absence of miR-15/16. The transcription factor c-Myb (Myb) is expressed preferentially by immature NK cells, is a direct target of miR-15/16, and is increased in 15a/16-1 floxed knockout NK cells. Importantly, maturation of 15a/16-1 floxed knockout NK cells was rescued by Myb knockdown. Moreover, Myb overexpression in wild-type NK cells caused a defective NK cell maturation phenotype similar to deletion of miR-15/16, and Myb overexpression enforces an immature NK cell transcriptional profile. Thus, miR-15/16 regulation of Myb controls the NK cell maturation program.
Copyright © 2015 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.