miRNA Signatures in Alveolar Macrophages Related to Cigarette Smoke: Assessment and Bioinformatics Analysis

Mirra, Davida; Esposito, Renata; Spaziano, Giuseppe; Rafaniello, Concetta; Panico, Francesca; Squillante, Antonio; Falciani, Maddalena; Abrego-Guandique, Diana Marisol; Caiazzo, Eleonora; Gallelli, Luca; Cione, Erika; D’Agostino, Bruno

doi:10.3390/ijms26031277

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Open AccessArticle

miRNA Signatures in Alveolar Macrophages Related to Cigarette Smoke: Assessment and Bioinformatics Analysis

by

Davida Mirra

¹,

Renata Esposito

¹

,

Giuseppe Spaziano

^1,*

,

Concetta Rafaniello

^2,3,

Francesca Panico

⁴,

Antonio Squillante

⁵,

Maddalena Falciani

⁶,

Diana Marisol Abrego-Guandique

⁴

,

Eleonora Caiazzo

¹,

Luca Gallelli

⁷

,

Erika Cione

⁸

and

Bruno D’Agostino

¹

Department of Environmental Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy

²

Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, 80138 Naples, Italy

³

Department of Experimental Medicine-Section of Pharmacology “L. Donatelli”, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy

⁴

Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy

⁵

Department of Medicine, University of Salerno, 84100 Salerno, Italy

⁶

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Ospedale Scarlato, 84018 Scafati, Italy

⁷

Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacovigilance Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Mater Domini Hospital, University of “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy

⁸

Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences-Department of Excellence 2018–2022, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1277; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031277

Submission received: 20 December 2024 / Revised: 23 January 2025 / Accepted: 30 January 2025 / Published: 1 February 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Roles and Mechanisms of Non-Coding RNAs in Human Health and Disease)

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Abstract

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a driver of many respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tobacco causes oxidative stress, impaired phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages (AMs), and alterations in gene expression in the lungs of smokers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that influence several regulatory pathways. Previously, we monitored the expressions of hsa-miR-223-5p, 16-5p, 20a-5p, -17-5p, 34a-5p, and 106a-5p in AMs derived from the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of subjects with NSCLC, COPD, and smoker and non-smoker control groups. Here, we investigated the capability of CS conditionate media to modulate the abovementioned miRNAs in primary AMs obtained in the same 43 sex-matched subjects. The expressions of has-miR-34a-5p, 17-5p, 16-5p, 106a-5p, 223-5p, and 20a-5p were assessed before and after in vitro CS exposure by RT-PCR. In addition, a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of miRNAs KEGGS and PPI linked to inflammation was performed. Distinct and common miRNA expression profiles were identified in response to CS, suggesting their possible role in smoking-related diseases. It is worth noting that, following exposure to CS, the expression levels of hsa-miR-34a-5p and 17-5p in both smokers and non-smokers, 106a-5p in non-smokers, and 20a-5p in smokers, shifted towards those found in individuals with COPD, suggesting them as a risk factor in developing this lung condition. Moreover, CS-focused sub-analysis identified miRNA which exhibited CS-dependent pattern and modulated mRNA involved in the immune system or AMs property regulation. In conclusion, our study uncovered miRNA signatures in AMs exposed to CS, indicating that CS might modify epigenetic patterns that contribute to macrophage activation and lung disease onset and progression.

Keywords: microRNAs; alveolar macrophages; cigarette smoke; COPD; lung cancer

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MDPI and ACS Style

Mirra, D.; Esposito, R.; Spaziano, G.; Rafaniello, C.; Panico, F.; Squillante, A.; Falciani, M.; Abrego-Guandique, D.M.; Caiazzo, E.; Gallelli, L.; et al. miRNA Signatures in Alveolar Macrophages Related to Cigarette Smoke: Assessment and Bioinformatics Analysis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26, 1277. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031277

AMA Style

Mirra D, Esposito R, Spaziano G, Rafaniello C, Panico F, Squillante A, Falciani M, Abrego-Guandique DM, Caiazzo E, Gallelli L, et al. miRNA Signatures in Alveolar Macrophages Related to Cigarette Smoke: Assessment and Bioinformatics Analysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025; 26(3):1277. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031277

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mirra, Davida, Renata Esposito, Giuseppe Spaziano, Concetta Rafaniello, Francesca Panico, Antonio Squillante, Maddalena Falciani, Diana Marisol Abrego-Guandique, Eleonora Caiazzo, Luca Gallelli, and et al. 2025. "miRNA Signatures in Alveolar Macrophages Related to Cigarette Smoke: Assessment and Bioinformatics Analysis" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 26, no. 3: 1277. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031277

APA Style

Mirra, D., Esposito, R., Spaziano, G., Rafaniello, C., Panico, F., Squillante, A., Falciani, M., Abrego-Guandique, D. M., Caiazzo, E., Gallelli, L., Cione, E., & D’Agostino, B. (2025). miRNA Signatures in Alveolar Macrophages Related to Cigarette Smoke: Assessment and Bioinformatics Analysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(3), 1277. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031277

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miRNA Signatures in Alveolar Macrophages Related to Cigarette Smoke: Assessment and Bioinformatics Analysis

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