# The Role of MicroRNA-146a in B Cell Function and Autoimmunity

> **NIH NIH K08** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $177,120

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This submission outlines a five-year mentored training plan for the career development of a physician-scientist
to characterize the regulatory role of the short non-coding RNA, microRNA-146a, in B cell activation and function,
and examine this in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. MicroRNA-146a has been
characterized as a negative regulator of the NFκB and interferon signaling pathways in myeloid and/or T cells,
but its function in B cells is not well defined. Because microRNAs often target different pathways in immune cells,
this proposal serves to fill this gap in knowledge in B cells to better understand its dysregulation in human SLE
disease. A combination of cellular immunology, molecular biology, and RNA sequencing/bioinformatics analysis
will be used to rigorously characterize microRNA-146a's role in activated B cells. In addition, both a hypothesis
based and discovery based approach will seek to identify novel gene targets. Furthermore, this proposal will
examine microRNA-146a's B cell expression in relationship to human SLE activity and flare, thus probing its
translational use as a novel disease biomarker. This project is consistent with NIAMS goals of advancing
research in human SLE, which has been challenging in part due to difficulties in assessing ongoing disease
activity, which this proposal attempts to address. The applicant is currently in her 4th year as a PhD Candidate
via the UCLA STAR physician-scientist program under the mentorship of her current thesis advisor, Dr. Dinesh
Rao, an expert in non-coding RNA biology. The proposed 5-year K08 training period will be under the scientific
mentorship of Dr. Rao and Dr. Alexander Hoffmann, a long time collaborator, whose expertise is in quantitative
experimentation and bioinformatics analysis in inflammatory gene signaling pathways. In addition, the applicant
will receive clinical/translational research mentorship from Dr. Maureen McMahon, Director of UCLA's Lupus
Clinical Trials Center, who has long-standing experience with SLE clinical trial methodology and biomarker
discovery. The new molecular techniques, bioinformatics analysis, and translational skills will be broadly
applicable to microRNAs in autoimmune diseases. This training proposal will provide the necessary mentorship
and support for the applicant to develop into a successful independent investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9878749
- **Project number:** 5K08AR072787-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Jennifer K King
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $177,120
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-03-15 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9878749

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9878749, The Role of MicroRNA-146a in B Cell Function and Autoimmunity (5K08AR072787-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9878749. Licensed CC0.

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