First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Department of Biotechnology, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
Front Immunol. 2018 Sep 11;9:2063. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02063. eCollection 2018.
During the entire processes of thymus organogenesis, maturation, and involution, gene regulation occurs post-transcriptionally via recently discovered microRNA (miRNA) transcripts. Numerous reports indicate that miRNAs may be involved in the construction of a normal thymic microenvironment, which constitutes a critical component to support T lymphocyte development. MiRNAs are also expressed in thymic stromal cells including thymic epithelial cells (TECs) during maturation and senescence. This review focuses on the function of miRNAs in thymic development and involution. A better understanding of these processes will provide new insights into the regulatory network of TECs and further comprehension of how genes control TECs to maintain the thymic microenvironment during thymus development and aging, thus supporting a normal cellular immune system.
在胸腺器官发生、成熟和退化的整个过程中,基因调控是通过最近发现的 microRNA(miRNA)转录物进行的。大量研究表明,miRNA 可能参与构建正常的胸腺微环境,这是支持 T 淋巴细胞发育的关键组成部分。miRNA 也在成熟和衰老过程中的胸腺基质细胞中表达,包括胸腺上皮细胞(TEC)。本综述重点介绍了 miRNA 在胸腺发育和退化中的功能。更好地理解这些过程将为 TEC 的调控网络提供新的见解,并进一步理解基因如何控制 TEC 以在胸腺发育和衰老过程中维持胸腺微环境,从而支持正常的细胞免疫系统。