MicroRNAs in shaping the resolution phase of inflammation

Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Apr:124:48-62. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.03.019. Epub 2021 Apr 29.

Abstract

Inflammation is a host defense mechanism orchestrated through imperative factors - acute inflammatory responses mediated by cellular and molecular events leading to activation of defensive immune subsets - to marginalize detrimental injury, pathogenic agents and infected cells. These potent inflammatory events, if uncontrolled, may cause tissue damage by perturbing homeostasis towards immune dysregulation. A parallel host mechanism operates to contain inflammatory pathways and facilitate tissue regeneration. Thus, resolution of inflammation is an effective moratorium on the pro-inflammatory pathway to avoid the tissue damage inside the host and leads to reestablishment of tissue homeostasis. Dysregulation of the resolution pathway can have a detrimental impact on tissue functionality and contribute to the diseased state. Multiple reports have suggested peculiar dynamics of miRNA expression during various pro- and anti-inflammatory events. The roles of miRNAs in the regulation of immune responses are well-established. However, understanding of miRNA regulation of the resolution phase of events in infection or wound healing models, which is sometimes misconstrued as anti-inflammatory signaling, remains limited. Due to the deterministic role of miRNAs in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways, in this review we have provided a broad perspective on the putative role of miRNAs in the resolution of inflammation and explored their imminent role in therapeutics.

Keywords: Inflammation; MicroRNA; Pathogenesis; Post-transcriptional regulation; Resolution; Wound healing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Wound Healing / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • MicroRNAs