Transient transfection of chemically synthesized microRNA (miRNA) mimics is being used extensively to study the functions and mechanisms of endogenous miRNAs. However, it remains unclear whether transfected miRNAs behave similarly to endogenous miRNAs. Here we show that transient transfection of miRNA mimics into HeLa cells by a commonly used method led to the accumulation of high molecular weight RNA species and a two to three hundred fold increase in mature miRNA levels. In contrast, expression of the same miRNAs through lentiviral infection or plasmid transfection of HeLa cells, transgenic expression in primary lymphocytes, and endogenous overexpression in lymphoma and leukemia cell lines did not lead to the appearance of high molecular weight RNA species. The increase of mature miRNA levels in these cells was below ten fold, which was sufficient to suppress target gene expression and to drive lymphoma development in mice. Moreover, transient transfection of miRNA mimics at high concentrations caused non-specific alterations in gene expression, while at low concentrations achieved expression levels comparable to other methods but failed to efficiently suppress target gene expression. Small RNA deep sequencing analysis revealed that the guide strands of miRNA mimics were frequently mutated, while unnatural passenger strands of some miRNA mimics accumulated to high levels. The high molecular weight RNA species were a heterogeneous mixture of several classes of RNA species generated by concatemerization, 5’- and 3’-end tailing of miRNA mimics. We speculate that the supraphysiological levels of mature miRNAs and these artifactual RNA species led to non-specific changes in gene expression. Our results have important implications for the design and interpretation of experiments primarily employing transient transfection of miRNA mimics.

Immature self-reactive B cells undergo central tolerance as they emerge from the bone marrow. Xiao and colleagues show that B cell tolerance requires downregulation of the microRNA miR-148a, as aberrant expression of miR-148a increases survival of autoreactive B cells and contributes to autoimmunity. Autoreactive B cells have critical roles in a large diversity of autoimmune diseases, but the molecular pathways that control these cells remain poorly understood. We performed an in vivo functional screen of a lymphocyte-expressed microRNA library and identified miR-148a as a potent regulator of B cell tolerance. Elevated miR-148a expression impaired B cell tolerance by promoting the survival of immature B cells after engagement of the B cell antigen receptor by suppressing the expression of the autoimmune suppressor Gadd45α, the tumor suppressor PTEN and the pro-apoptotic protein Bim. Furthermore, increased expression of miR-148a, which occurs frequently in patients with lupus and lupus-prone mice, facilitated the development of lethal autoimmune disease in a mouse model of lupus. Our studies demonstrate a function for miR-148a as a regulator of B cell tolerance and autoimmunity.

Mutations of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene are frequent in clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC). Nonsense and frameshift mutations abrogate the function of the VHL protein (pVHL), whereas missense mutations can have different effects. To identify those missense mutations with functional consequences, we sequenced VHL in 256 sporadic ccRCC and identified 187 different VHL mutations of which 65 were missense mutations. Location and destabilizing effects of VHL missense mutations were determined in silico. The majority of the thermodynamically destabilizing missense mutations were located in exon 1 in the core of pVHL, whereas protein surface mutations in exon 3 affected the interaction domains of elongin B and C. Their impact on pVHL's functionality was further investigated in vitro by stably reintroducing VHL missense mutations into a VHL null cell line and by monitoring the green fluorescent protein (GFP) signals after the transfection of a hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)α-GFP expression vector. pVHL's functionality ranged from no effect to complete HIF stabilization. Interestingly, Asn78Ser, Asp121Tyr, and Val130Phe selectively influenced HIF1α and HIF2α degradation. In summary, we obtained three different groups of missense mutations: one with severe destabilization of pVHL; a second without destabilizing effects on pVHL but relevance for the interaction with HIFα, elongin B, and elongin C; and a third with pVHL functions comparable with wild type. We therefore conclude that the specific impact of missense mutations may help to distinguish between driver and passenger mutations and may explain responses of ccRCC patients to HIF-targeted therapies. Cancer Res; 71(16); 5500–11. ©2011 AACR.

We have developed a method to introduce novel paratopes into the human antibody repertoire by modifying the immunoglobulin (Ig) genes of mature B cells directly using genome editing technologies. We used CRISPR-Cas9 in a homology directed repair strategy, to replace the heavy chain (HC) variable region in B cell lines with that from an HIV broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb), PG9. Our strategy is designed to function in cells that have undergone VDJ recombination using any combination of variable (V), diversity (D) and joining (J) genes. The modified locus expresses PG9 HC which pairs with native light chains (LCs) resulting in the cell surface expression of HIV specific B cell receptors (BCRs). Endogenous activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) in engineered cells allowed for Ig class switching and generated BCR variants with improved HIV neutralizing activity. Thus, BCRs engineered in this way retain the genetic flexibility normally required for affinity maturation during adaptive immune responses. Peripheral blood derived primary B cells from three different donors were edited using this strategy. Engineered cells could bind the PG9 epitope and sequenced mRNA showed PG9 HC transcribed as several different isotypes after culture with CD40 ligand and IL-4.

The molecular mechanisms that regulate B-cell development and tolerance remain incompletely understood. In this study, we identify a critical role for the miR-17∼92 microRNA cluster in regulating B-cell central tolerance and demonstrate that these miRNAs control early B-cell development in a cell-intrinsic manner. While the cluster member miR-19 suppresses the expression of Pten and plays a key role in regulating B-cell tolerance, miR-17 controls early B-cell development through other molecular pathways. These findings demonstrate differential control of two closely linked B-cell developmental stages by different members of a single microRNA cluster through distinct molecular pathways.