MicroRNAs as regulatory elements in immune system logic

MicroRNAs (mi-RNAs) are crucial post-transcriptional regulators of haematopoietic cell fate decisions. They act by negatively regulating the expression of key immune development genes, thus contributing important logic elements to the regulatory circuitry. Deletion studies have made it increasingly apparent that they confer robustness to immune cell development, especially under conditions of environmental stress such as infectious challenge and ageing. Aberrant expression of certain mi-RNAs can lead to pathological consequences, such as autoimmunity and haematological cancers. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms by which several mi-RNAs influence immune development and buffer normal haematopoietic output, first at the level of haematopoietic stem cells, then in innate and adaptive immune cells. We then discuss the pathological consequences of dysregulation of these mi-RNAs.