2019
Injured liver-released miRNA-122 elicits acute pulmonary inflammation via activating alveolar macrophage TLR7 signaling pathway
Publication Information
Title:Injured liver-released miRNA-122 elicits acute pulmonary inflammation via activating alveolar macrophage TLR7 signaling pathway
Author(s):Yanbo Wang, Hongwei Liang, Fangfang Jin, Xin Yan, Guifang Xu, Huanhuan Hu, Gaoli Liang, Shoubin Zhan, Xuting Hu, Quan Zhao, Yuan Lu, Zhen-You Jiang, Chen-Yu Zhang, Xi Chen, Ke Zen
Journal Name, Year, Volume(Issue):Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 2019, 116(13): 6162–6171,Page range:6162–6171
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1814139116
Abstract:Hepatic injury is often accompanied by pulmonary inflammation and tissue damage, but the underlying mechanism is not fully elucidated. Here we identify hepatic miR-122 as a mediator of pulmonary inflammation induced by various liver injuries. Analyses of acute and chronic liver injury mouse models confirm that liver dysfunction can cause pulmonary inflammation and tissue damage. Injured livers release large amounts of miR-122 in an exosome-independent manner into the circulation. Circulating miR-122 is then preferentially transported to mouse lungs and taken up by alveolar macrophages, in which it binds Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and activates inflammatory responses. Depleting miR-122 in mouse liver or plasma largely abolishes liver injury-induced pulmonary inflammation and tissue damage. Furthermore, alveolar macrophage activation by miR-122 is blocked by mutating the TLR7-binding GU-rich sequence on miR-122 or knocking out macrophage TLR7. Our findings reveal a causative role of hepatic miR-122 in liver injury-induced pulmonary dysfunction.
