microRNA-218-5p plays a protective role in eosinophilic airway inflammation via targeting δ-catenin, a novel catenin in asthma.

BACKGROUND

microRNA (miR)-218-5p is involved in cigarette smoke-induced airway inflammation. In our earlier asthma epithelial miRNA profiling data, miR-218-5p was the top 2 down-regulated miRNA. We hypothesize that miR-218-5p plays a role in asthma airway inflammation.

OBJECTIVE

To unveil the role of miR-218-5p and its target gene in asthma airway inflammation.

METHODS

We measured miR-218-5p expression in bronchial brushings of asthma patients (n = 50) and healthy controls (n = 15), and analysed the correlations between miR-218-5p expression and airway eosinophilia. We examined whether CTNND2 was a target of miR-218-5p, and the expression of 12 catenin family members in bronchial brushings, in cultured human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells and BEAS-2B cells. We explored the role of miR-218-5p-CTNND2 pathway using a murine model of allergic airway inflammation.

RESULTS

Epithelial miR-218-5p expression was significantly decreased and negatively correlated with eosinophils in induced sputum and bronchial biopsies, and other type 2 biomarkers in asthma patients. We verified that CTNND2 (encoding δ-catenin) was a target of miR-218-5p. Remarkably, CTNND2 was the most significantly up-regulated catenin compared with the other 11 catenin family members in bronchial brushings of asthma patients, IL-13-stimulated HBE and BEAS-2B cells. Moreover, epithelial CTNND2 expression positively correlated with airway eosinophilia in asthma. Airway mmu-miR-218-5p expression was also decreased, and Ctnnd2 expression was increased in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. Intriguingly, mmu-miR-218-5p overexpression suppressed airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilic airway inflammation and Ctnnd2 up-regulation in the mouse model. Finally, perturbation of miR-218-5p or CTNND2 expression significantly altered chemokine CCL26 expression in the cell cultures and the mouse model.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Epithelial miR-218-5p plays a protective role in eosinophilic airway inflammation via targeting CTNND2, a novel catenin in asthma, and suppressing chemokine CCL26 expression.