Enforced expression of microRNA‑21 influences the replication of varicella‑zoster virus by triggering signal transducer and activator of transcription 3

  • Authors:
    • Yan Li
    • Rina Wu
    • Zhongrong Liu
    • Jianyong Fan
    • Huilan Yang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: February 26, 2014     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2014.1588
  • Pages: 1291-1296
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Abstract

Varicella‑zoster virus (VZV) causes chronic pain and serious complications, including zoster paresis. However, the mechanism of VZV replication, a critical part of VZV pathogenesis, remains largely unknown and was investigated in the present study. The upregulation of microRNA‑21 (miR‑21) was identified following VZV infection in vitro by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The hypothesis that the overexpression of miR‑21 activates the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway was validated by measuring the mRNA expression levels of STAT3 and the anti‑apoptotic protein survivin in human malignant melanoma (MeWo) and human embryonic lung fibroblast (HELF) cell lines transfected with miR‑21‑mimic and comparing them with those in cells transfected with miR‑control. To further study the interaction of miR‑21, STAT3 and VZV replication, the effects of miR‑21 overexpression and STAT3 knockdown were evaluated. Higher virus titers were detected when miR‑21 was upregulated in vitro. Moreover, it was identified that significantly lower virus titers were present in MeWo cells in which STAT3 was knocked down. In addition, the overexpression of miR‑21 did not stimulate VZV replication in the MeWo cell line when the STAT3 gene was silenced. Therefore, the observations of the present study indicate that the enforced expression of miR‑21 promotes the replication of VZV by activating STAT3 in vitro.
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May-2014
Volume 7 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Li Y, Wu R, Liu Z, Fan J and Yang H: Enforced expression of microRNA‑21 influences the replication of varicella‑zoster virus by triggering signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. Exp Ther Med 7: 1291-1296, 2014
APA
Li, Y., Wu, R., Liu, Z., Fan, J., & Yang, H. (2014). Enforced expression of microRNA‑21 influences the replication of varicella‑zoster virus by triggering signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 7, 1291-1296. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2014.1588
MLA
Li, Y., Wu, R., Liu, Z., Fan, J., Yang, H."Enforced expression of microRNA‑21 influences the replication of varicella‑zoster virus by triggering signal transducer and activator of transcription 3". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 7.5 (2014): 1291-1296.
Chicago
Li, Y., Wu, R., Liu, Z., Fan, J., Yang, H."Enforced expression of microRNA‑21 influences the replication of varicella‑zoster virus by triggering signal transducer and activator of transcription 3". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 7, no. 5 (2014): 1291-1296. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2014.1588