Semaphorin-3A as An Immune Modulator Is Suppressed by MicroRNA-145-5p

Objective Semaphorin-3A (SEMA3A) and its receptors are found on some immune cells and act as suppressors of immune cells over-activation. Considering the role of SEMA3A and its down-regulation in some autoimmune diseases, as well as our bioinformatics predictions, we assumed that miR-145-5p might affect SEMA3A expression. So, we aimed to determine the effect of miR-145-5p on SEMA3A gene expression level. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, we evaluated the effect of miR-145-5p transfection on SEMA3A expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using ELISA and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Results Our results showed that miR-145-5p is able to decrease SEMA3A expression at both protein and mRNA levels. These data confirmed our previous bioinformatic prediction about the inhibitory effect of miR-145-5p on SEMA3A expression. Conclusion These results enlightened us about an unknown aspect of SEMA3A role in some autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and also proposed SEMA3A as a potential therapeutic approach.