MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded small RNA molecules that regulate various cellular processes. miRNA 155 (miR-155) regulates various aspects of innate and adaptive immune responses and plays a key role in various viral infections and the resulting neuroinflammation. The present study evaluated the involvement of miR-155 in modulating Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV)-induced neuroinflammation. We observed that miR-155 expression was upregulated during JEV infection of mouse primary microglia, the BV-2 microglia cell line, and in both mouse and human brains. In vitro and in vivo knockdown of miR-155 minimized JEV-induced inflammatory responses. In the present study, we confirmed targeting of the Src homology 2-containing inositol phosphatase 1 (SHIP1) 3= untranslated region (UTR) by miR-155 in the context of JEV infection. Inhibition of SHIP1 by miR-155 resulted in higher beta interferon (IFN-) and proinflammatory cytokine production through activation of TANKbinding kinase 1 (TBK-1). Based on these observations, we conclude that miR-155 modulates the neuroinflammatory response during JEV infection via negative regulation of SHIP1 expression. Thus, modulation of miR-155 could be a novel strategy to regulate JEV-induced neuroinflammation.
IMPORTANCE
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a member of the family Flaviviridae that causes Japanese encephalitis (JE), is the most common mosquito-borne encephalitis virus in the
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a member of the family Flaviviridae, is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus that causes Japanese encephalitis (JE) (1, 2). JE is endemic in most Southeast Asian countries (3, 4). The availability of an effective vaccine and an active immunization program have resulted in a reduced number of JE cases in a few countries (5). The early clinical features of JE include fever, headache, and vomiting. Two weeks after JEV infection, patients develop neurological symptoms, like seizure, tremor, photophobia, and movement disorder (6). These clinical features are not exclusive to JEV infection, and hence, laboratory diagnosis is needed to differentiate it from other neurological disorders. Detection of anti-JEV IgM antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum is frequently used to diagnose JE (7). The fatality rate of JEV infection is ϳ25%. A majority of survivors (ϳ50%) have neuropsychiatric sequelae; only ϳ25% recover completely (8). Hence, JEV poses major health concerns and economic burdens in the Asia-Pacific region. During the last decade, we and others have made significant progress in the understanding molecular mechanisms involved in JEV infection.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs ϳ19 to 22 nucleotides in length that regulate various cellular processes by binding to the 3= untranslated region (UTR) of target proteins, resulting in either degradation of RNA or translational suppression (9, 10). Our knowledge of the role of miRNAs in various diseases is expanding rapidly. Various reports support the role of miRNAs in neuroviral...