MicroRNA-124 acts as a positive regulator of IFN-β signaling in the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human microglial cells

miR-124 is ubiquitously expressed in the nervous tissue and acts as a negative regulator of neuroinflammation. In the present study, we analyzed the possible role of miR-124 in response to LPS in the human microglial cell line. Our data revealed that the miR-124 anti-inflammatory effect is based not only on the suppression of MyD88 -NF kappa B pathway and downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and IL-6 but also on the enhancement of TRAM-TRIF signaling and increased IFN-beta expression. Furthermore, the NF kappa B reporter assay demonstrated that specific miR-124 -induced NF kappa B activity changes could be detected only using NF kappa B reporter promoters lacking ATF/CREB binding site.

Automated summary

miR-124 is widely expressed in nervous tissue and acts as a negative regulator of neuroinflammation. The study found that miR-124 exerts its anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing the MyD88-NF kappa B pathway, downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and IL-6, enhancing the TRAM-TRIF signaling, and increasing IFN-beta expression. Additionally, specific changes in NF kappa B activity induced by miR-124 were only detected using NF kappa B reporter promoters lacking ATF/CREB binding site.