MicroRNA-19a Inhibition Directly and Indirectly Ameliorates Th2 Airway Inflammation in Asthma by Targeting RUNX3

Disruption of T-cell differentiation is characteristic of airway inflammation in allergic asthma. How miR-19a works in asthma has not been completely elucidated. This study aimed to examine whether microRNA-19a regulates helper T-cell proliferation and to identify the factors involved and the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that miR-19a levels were upregulated in parallel with a reduction in RUNX3 expression in a house dust mite (HDM)-induced murine model of asthma. A dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay showed that RUNX3 was a direct target of miR-19a. Inhibiting the expression of miR-19a attenuated inflammation and mucus production, induced Th1 cells, suppressed the Th2 inflammatory response, and repressed dendritic cell (DC) maturation by increasing RUNX3 expression in WT asthmatic mice but not RUNX3 +/− mice. In vitro experiments revealed that miR-19a inhibition could target RUNX3 to induce Th1 polarization and inhibit Th2 polarization by directly acting on naïve CD4 + T cells or indirectly mediating the maturation and antigen-presenting abilities of DCs. These findings indicate that miR-19a directly and indirectly regulates immunoinflammatory responses in asthma by targeting RUNX3.