151. Critical roles of the miR-17∼92 family in thymocyte development, leukemogenesis, and autoimmunity
- Author
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Kunyu Liao, Pengda Chen, Mengdi Zhang, Jiazhen Wang, Teri Hatzihristidis, Xiaoxi Lin, Liang Yang, Nan Yao, Chenfeng Liu, Yazhen Hong, Xia Li, Hong Liu, Juan Carlos Zúñiga-Pflücker, Paul E. Love, Xiang Chen, Wen-Hsien Liu, Bin Zhao, and Changchun Xiao
- Subjects
CP: Cancer ,CP: Immunology ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Summary: Thymocyte development requires precise control of PI3K-Akt signaling to promote proliferation and prevent leukemia and autoimmune disorders. Here, we show that ablating individual clusters of the miR-17∼92 family has a negligible effect on thymocyte development, while deleting the entire family severely impairs thymocyte proliferation and reduces thymic cellularity, phenocopying genetic deletion of Dicer. Mechanistically, miR-17∼92 expression is induced by Myc-mediated pre-T cell receptor (TCR) signaling, and miR-17∼92 promotes thymocyte proliferation by suppressing the translation of Pten. Retroviral expression of miR-17∼92 restores the proliferation and differentiation of Myc-deficient thymocytes. Conversely, partial deletion of the miR-17∼92 family significantly delays Myc-driven leukemogenesis. Intriguingly, thymocyte-specific transgenic miR-17∼92 expression does not cause leukemia or lymphoma but instead aggravates skin inflammation, while ablation of the miR-17∼92 family ameliorates skin inflammation. This study reveals intricate roles of the miR-17∼92 family in balancing thymocyte development, leukemogenesis, and autoimmunity and identifies those microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential therapeutic targets for leukemia and autoimmune diseases.
- Published
- 2024
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