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mi RNA s and HIV : unforeseen determinants of host‐pathogen interaction
Author(s) -
Swaminathan Sanjay,
Murray Daniel D.,
Kelleher Anthony D.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/imr.12077
Subject(s) - biology , microrna , untranslated region , immune system , translation (biology) , messenger rna , rna , three prime untranslated region , immunology , gene , genetics
Summary Our understanding of the complexity of gene regulation has significantly improved in the last decade as the role of small non‐coding RNA s, called micro RNA s (mi RNA s), has been appreciated. These 19–22 nucleotide RNA molecules are critical regulators of mRNA translation and turnover. The mi RNA s bind via a protein complex to the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR ) of mRNA , ultimately leading to mRNA translational inhibition, degradation, or repression. Although many mechanisms by which human immunodeficiency virus‐1 ( HIV ‐1) infection eventually induces catastrophic immune destruction have been elucidated, the important role that mi RNA s play in HIV ‐1 pathogenesis is only now emerging. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that changes to endogenous mi RNA levels following infection is important: in maintaining HIV ‐1 latency in resting CD 4 + T cells, potentially affect immune function via changes to cytokines such as interleukin‐2 ( IL ‐2) and IL ‐10 and may predict disease progression. We review the roles that both viral and host mi RNA s play in different cell types and disease conditions that are important in HIV ‐1 infection and discuss how mi RNA s affect key immunomodulatory molecules contributing to immune dysfunction. Further, we discuss whether mi RNA s may be used as novel biomarkers in serum and the potential to modulate mi RNA levels as a unique approach to combating this pathogen.