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Long noncoding RNA lncKdm2b: A critical player in the maintenance of group 3 innate lymphoid cells

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 15, pages 5–7 (2018)Cite this article

lncRNAs are largely uncharacterized non-protein-coding transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides in length that are implicated in the regulation of a variety of genes and genome activity at multiple levels, including epigenetic mechanisms and nuclear organization, as well as RNA processing, stability and translation.8 Increasing evidence has indicated that lncRNAs are important factors associated with a wide range of biological processes, including cell proliferation, cell differentiation, apoptosis and self-renewal.9 lncKdm2b, identified by Liu et al. is a previously uncharacterized lncRNA that is highly expressed in murine bone marrow, embryo and intestinal lamina propria lymphocytes. Importantly, high expression levels of lncKdm2b were observed in ILC3 populations (defined as Lin−CD45+RORγt+), which was further validated using RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (RNA-FISH) and lncKdm2b reporter mice. Given that homozygous lncKdm2b deficiency is lethal, lncKdm2bflox/flox mice were crossed with Vav-Cre mice to generate a conditional deletion of lncKdm2b in hematopoietic cells and their progeny. The data obtained from this model indicate that the expression level of lncKdm2b is associated with the proliferation and effector functions of ILC3s without affecting their development and apoptosis.

IL-22 produced by ILC3s is one of the critical effector molecules for mucosal defense against bacterial invasion.10 As expected, lncKdm2b conditional knockout mice, which exhibit reduced numbers of IL-22-producing cells, are very susceptible to Citrobacter rodentium infection. In addition to IL-22-mediated protective immune responses, there are other effector molecules, including IL-17 and IL-23, responsible for the maintenance of gut homeostasis and protection against gastrointestinal invasions.11 Therefore, the production of these effector molecules may be impaired in lncKdm2b conditional knockout mice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease,

    Can-Jie Guo

  2. Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai, 200001, China

    Can-Jie Guo

  3. Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, 95616, CA, USA

    Can-Jie Guo, Weici Zhang & M Eric Gershwin

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  1. Can-Jie Guo
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Correspondence to Weici Zhang or M Eric Gershwin.

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Guo, CJ., Zhang, W. & Gershwin, M. Long noncoding RNA lncKdm2b: A critical player in the maintenance of group 3 innate lymphoid cells. Cell Mol Immunol 15, 5–7 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/cmi.2017.55

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