miR-223: An Effective Regulator of Immune Cell Differentiation and Inflammation

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in regulating various biological processes, such as cell differentiation and immune modulation by binding to their target genes. miR-223 is a miRNA with important functions and has been widely investigated in recent years. Under certain physiological conditions, miR-223 is regulated by different transcription factors, including sirtuin1 (Sirt1), PU.1 and Mef2c, and its biological functions are mediated through changes in its cellular or tissue expression. This review paper summarizes miR-223 biosynthesis and its regulatory role in the differentiation of granulocytes, dendritic cells (DCs) and lymphocytes, macrophage polarization, and endothelial and epithelial inflammation. In addition, it describes the molecular mechanisms of miR-223 in regulating lung inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, enteritis, neuroinflammation and mastitis to provide insights into the existing molecular regulatory networks and therapies for inflammatory diseases in humans and animals.