Analysis of the host microRNA response toSalmonellauncovers the control of major cytokines by thelet-7family

Abstract

MicroRNAs have well‐established roles in eukaryotic host responses to viruses and extracellular bacterial pathogens. In contrast, microRNA responses to invasive bacteria have remained unknown. Here, we report cell type‐dependent microRNA regulations upon infection of mammalian cells with the enteroinvasive pathogen, Salmonella Typhimurium. Murine macrophages strongly upregulate NF‐κB associated microRNAs; strikingly, these regulations which are induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) occur and persist regardless of successful host invasion and/or replication, or whether an inflammatory response is mounted, suggesting that microRNAs belong to the first line of anti‐bacterial defence. However, a suppression of the global immune regulator miR‐155 in endotoxin‐tolerant macrophages revealed that microRNA responses also depend on the status of infected cells. This study identifies the let‐7 family as the common denominator of Salmonella‐regulated microRNAs in macrophages and epithelial cells, and suggests that repression of let‐7 relieves cytokine IL‐6 and IL‐10 mRNAs from negative post‐transcriptional control. Our results establish a paradigm of microRNA‐mediated feed‐forward activation of inflammatory factors when mammalian cells are targeted by bacterial pathogens. There is a Have you seen? (May 2011) associated with this Article.