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The role of microRNAs in γδ T cells: a long way to go

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 18, pages 2071–2072 (2021)Cite this article

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MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that are not translated into functional proteins. miRNAs were first discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans in 19931 but did not attract attention until 2000, when the first mammalian miRNA was discovered.2 The precursor of miRNAs is ~70–100 nt, which forms a standard stem structure and becomes a 19-22-nt single stranded RNA after processing. miRNAs can bind to messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and silence gene expression by degrading target mRNAs, which is an important epigenetic regulatory mechanism involved in various biological processes, such as cell proliferation, development, differentiation and apoptosis.3

Posttranscriptional gene regulation through miRNAs is a major regulatory mechanism in αβT cell activation, differentiation and homeostasis, which are important for the immune response against several diseases.4 miR-155 induces CD8+ T-cell activation and proliferation by downregulating the expression of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4.5 miR-29 regulates TH1 polarization and TH1effector cytokine secretion by targeting T-beta, Eomes and IFN-γ,6 and miR-146a exerts an immunosuppressive effect by promoting regulatory T cell function.7 The regulation of αβT cells by miRNAs has been widely studied, and the targeting of αβT cell-associated miRNAs to modulate the antitumor immune response has been gradually applied as a potential strategy in the clinic.8,9

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  1. Department of Immunology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China

    Hui Chen, Jianmin Zhang & Wei He

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  1. Hui Chen
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Correspondence to Wei He.

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Chen, H., Zhang, J. & He, W. The role of microRNAs in γδ T cells: a long way to go. Cell Mol Immunol 18, 2071–2072 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-021-00711-x

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