MicroRNAs as new immunity regulators in viral and bacterial infections

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) – small, conserved RNA molecules, containing 22 to 25 nucleotides and occurring in the cells of living organisms. As regulatory molecules, they have enormous biological potential and can influence a number of cellular processes. In the context of immu-nology, the role of miRNAs as novel immunity regulators is invaluable. The miRNAs regulate immune phenomena at many levels - starting from the impact on the processes of maturation, proliferation and differentiation of the immune system cells, through the regulation of the secretion of their products, to the regulation of intracellular signalling pathways. In all these areas, the miRNAs can play the role of both an inducer and an inhibitor by appropriately increasing the intensity of or suppressing the immune processes they regulate. In the future, it will be possible to regulate the host’s immune response to the pathogen thanks to the properly controlled expression of miRNAs in the immune system cells.

Keywords

• microRNA
• immunity
• viruses
• bacteria