MicroRNA-214 induces dendritic cell switching from tolerance to immunity by targeting β-Catenin signaling.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to function as negative gene regulators. Recently, miRNAs have been shown to regulate immunity processes; however, the mechanism is unclear. The role of microRNA-214 (miR-214) in dendritic cell (DC) maturation has not been investigated. We found that the miR-214 level was correlated with the maturation of DCs and inflammatory cytokine secretion, as depressed miR-214 levels induced DC tolerance. We also identified β-catenin as a target gene of miR-214 and demonstrated its association with Treg cell differentiation. MiR-214 regulates gene expression by binding to the 3'UTR of β-catenin. The results suggest that β-catenin is a critical regulator of tolerance in DCs via miR-214. The expression of miR-214 could be a potential therapeutic strategy in organ transplantation or autoimmunity patients.