MiR-143-3p expression is positively correlated with Treg-related
cytokine IL-10
Negative
correlation of miR-143-3p with markers of disease activity indicates the
potential protective effect in RA. Due to aberrant activation of
CD4+ T helper (Th) cells considered as one of the
crucial causations in the initiation and perpetuation process of RA, we
collected some Th-related cytokine in plasma of patients by ELISA, such
as IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17A, which predominantly secreted by Th1, Th2,
Treg, and Th17 cells, to further evaluate the role of miR-143-3p in the
progression of RA. Compared with healthy controls, the levels of
secreted IFN-γ and IL-17A were increased in a degree-dependent manner
(Figure 2A, D). And more notably, the level of secreted IL-4 and IL-10
in plasma was significantly higher in patients with moderate RA than in
HC, while expression of IL-4 and IL-10 was slightly reduced in patients
with severe RA in comparison with moderate RA (Figure 2B-C), whose
changing trend was similar to miR-143-3p in peripheral blood
CD4+T cells. We also observed the levels of IL-4
(r=-0.3863, P=0.0159) and IL-10 (r=-0.3256, P=0.0369) were inversely
correlated with the DAS28, which is consistent with the characteristics
of IL-4 and IL-10 as anti-inflammatory factors in inhibiting
inflammation (Figure 2E-H). Importantly, the results of further analysis
showed that the expression of miR-143-3p was positively correlated IL-4
(r=0.3239, P=0.0377) and IL-10 (r=0.3443, P=0.0290). These results
indicated that there was a correlation between miR-143-3p and Th2 or
Treg cells. Recent bioinformatics analysis has obtained miR-143-3p may
contribute to the Foxp3 signaling pathway[29,30].
Thus, we concentrated on the effect of miR-143-3p on Treg cells and
conduct the further study.