Yunhui Jia 1 and Yuanyuan Wei 2,*
1 Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China;
19111010043@fudan.edu.cn
2 Department of Immunology, Shanghai Key laboratory of Bioactive Small Molecules, State Key Laboratory of
Medical Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Correspondence: ywei@fudan.edu.cn; Tel.: +86-(0)21-5423-7730
Received: 15 February 2020; Accepted: 27 March 2020; Published: 29 March 2020
Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a key role in fine-tuning host immune homeostasis and
responses through the negative regulation of mRNA stability and translation. The pathways regulated
by miRNAs are well characterized, but the precise mechanisms that control the miRNA-mediated
regulation of gene expression during immune cell-development and immune responses to invading
pathogens are incompletely understood. Context-specific interactions of miRNAs with other RNA
species or proteins may modulate the function of a given miRNA. Dysregulation of miRNA function
is associated with various human diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Here, we
review the potential modulators of miRNA function in the immune system, including the transcription
regulators of miRNA genes, miRNA-processing enzymes, factors affecting miRNA targeting, and
intercellular communication.