A pathway-based association analysis identified FMNL1-MAP3K14 as susceptibility genes for leprosy

Ssc-novel-miR-106-5p reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in porcine endometrial epithelial cells by inhibiting the expression of the target gene mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 14 (MAP3K14)

As an important gram-negative bacterial outer membrane component, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plays an important role in bacterial-induced endometritis in sows. However, how LPS induces endometritis is unclear. We stimulated sow endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) with LPS and detected cell viability and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) secretion. LPS affected EEC viability and TNF-α and IL-1 secretion in a dose-dependent manner. LPS induced differential expression in 10 of 393 miRNAs in the EECs (downregulated, nine; upregulated, one). MicroRNA (miRNA) high-throughput sequencing of the LPS-induced EECs plus bioinformatics analysis and the dual-luciferase reporter system revealed a novel miRNA target gene: mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 14 (MAP3K14). Ssc-novel-miR-106-5p mimic, inhibitor and the nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (IκBα) phosphorylation inhibitor Bay11-7085 were used to detect EEC nuclear factor-κB phosphorylation levels (p-NF-κB) and TNF-α and IL-1 secretion. MiR-106-5p mimic downregulated MAP3K14 mRNA and protein expression levels, inhibited p-NF-κB levels and decreased IL-1 and TNF-α secretion, whereas miR-106-5p inhibitor had the opposite effect. Bay11-7085 inhibited p-NF-κB expression and TNF-α and IL-1 secretion. These results suggest that LPS downregulates ssc-novel-miR-106-5p expression in sow EECs to increase MAP3K14 expression, which increases p-NF-κB to promote IL-1 and TNF-α secretion.

NIK as a Druggable Mediator of Tissue Injury

NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK, MAP3K14) is best known as the apical kinase that triggers non-canonical NF-κB activation and by its role in the immune system. Recent data indicate a role for NIK expressed by non-lymphoid cells in cancer, kidney disease, liver injury, glucose homeostasis, osteosarcopenia, vascular calcification, hematopoiesis, and endothelial function. The spectrum of NIK-associated disease now ranges from immunodeficiency (when NIK is defective) to autoimmunity, cancer, sterile inflammation, fibrosis, and metabolic disease when NIK is overactive. The development of novel small-molecule NIK inhibitors has paved the way to test NIK targeting to treat disease in vivo, and may eventually lead to NIK targeting in the clinic. In addition, NIK activators are being explored for specific conditions such as myeloid leukemia.