ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate correlation between microRNA (miR-494) and TH 17 cell differentiation in murine cervical heterotopic cardiac transplant model.Method The heterotopic cardiac transplant models of Balb/c→C57BL/6 mice were established as experimental group,and those of C57BL/6→C57BL/6 mice as control group.Real time-polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was used to detect miR-494 and interleukin(IL)-17A mRNA expression in the grafts.CD4+ T cells,CD8+ T cells and CD45+ myeloid cells were isolated from the grafts,and miR-494 and IL-17 mRNA expression was detected.In vitro,lymphocytes in the spleen from C57BL/6 mice were harvested,and CD4+ T cells were isolated with MACS and then stimulated to TH 1,TH 2,TH 17,Treg subset cells.The expression of IL-17A mRNA and miR-494 in different T subsets was examined by Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Result Two grafts from each study group were harvested on the 7th day post-transplantation.In experimental group,the IL-17A mRNA expression was increased,while the expression of miR-494 was decreased as compared with control group with the difference being significant between two groups.The expression of IL-17A rnRNA in CD4+ T cells of the grafts was significantly increased,while that expression of miR-494 was decreased.In vitro,the expression of miR-494 in TH 17 cells was significantly lower than that in TH 1,TH 2 and Treg cells.Conclusion miR-494 is related closely to TH 17 cells differentiation in the transplant rejection,which may play a role in transplant rejection through regulating TH 17 cells.