Research Article

miR-98 Modulates Cytokine Production from Human PBMCs in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus by Targeting IL-6 mRNA

Figure 2

IL-6 is a target of miR-98 in SLE. (a) PBMCs of SLE patients were transfected with miR-98 mimics, inhibitor, or control sequences, then miR-98 levels were detected by qRT-PCR. U6 was used as an internal control. (b) The predicted miR-98 binding site within IL-6 mRNA 3UTR and its mutated version by site mutagenesis are as shown. (c) Luciferase assay was performed in healthy PBMCs that were cotransfected with miRNA mimics or control sequences and reporter vectors carrying IL-6 mRNA 3UTR with wild type (pMIR-IL-6-WT) versus mutated type (pMIR-IL-6-MUT), respectively. (d) PBMCs of SLE patients were transfected with miR-98 mimics or with unrelated sequences as controls, then PBMCs of SLE patients were transfected with anticontrol or miR-98 inhibitors, respectively. (e) Western blotting was used to test IL-6 expression; GAPDH was used as an internal control. Data are means of three separated ; .
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