MiR-30a targets IL-1α and regulates islet functions as an inflammation buffer and response factor.

Diabetes is an inflammatory disease. Inflammation plays an important role in islet functions. However, the exact mechanisms by which inflammation affects islet functions remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effects of miR-30a on inflammation and islet functions. The results indicate that miR-30a serves as an inflammation-resolving buffer factor by targeting interleukin 1a (IL-1α) in immune cells and in islet cells, which might play an important role in inflammation homeostasis. miR-30a ameliorates islet functions in an inflammatory micro-environment by targeting the IL-1α/nuclear factor kappa B (NFKB) p65 subunit (p65)/p62 (SQSTM1)/insulin axis, which can be developed into a novel antidiabetic approach. miR-30a serves as a promising inflammation-response biomarker in inflammatory diseases and is possibly activated by the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/IL-1α/NFKB pathways. However, the exact molecular mechanisms by which miR-30a regulates inflammation and islet functions as well as the potential applications in transitional medicine require further elucidation.