The miR-23a~27a~24-2 microRNA cluster promotes inflammatory polarization of macrophages

Purpose: RNA-sequencing was performed to identify gene expression changes between bone marrow derived macrophages isolated from wildtype and mirn23a-/- (Mirc11-/-) mice that were either M1 or M2 polarized. Results: Diferential gene expression was examined between wildtype and mirn23a-/- M1 polarized macrophages and wildtype and mirn23a-/- M2 polarized macrophages. The number of genes with significant (p<0.05) 2-fold changes in our M1 dataset is 4-fold higher than the 2-fold changed genes in our M2 dataset. 43 unique genes were differentially expressed over 2-fold in M1 mutant macrophages compared to wildtype with 29 upregulated and 14 downregulated. 10 genes (8 downregulated/ 2 upregulated)were differentially expressed in mirn23a-/- M2 macrophages by at least 2-fold compared to wildtype. Wildtype and mirn23a-/- (Mirc11-/-) bone marrow derived macrophage gene expression profiles after 24h of polarization (M1 or M2 conditions).