# Allergic Inflammation Triggers the Unfolded Protein Response and Ormdl3 Expression in Rat Adipocytes, While miR-665 Inhibition Selectively Modulates the IRE1/XBP1 Pathway and IL-6 Secretion

**Authors:** Joanna Nowakowska-Lewicka, Wojciech Langwiński, Tatiana Wojciechowicz, Marek Skrzypski, Beata Narożna, Maria Kachel, Kosma Sakrajda, Zuzanna Stachowiak, Aleksandra Szczepankiewicz

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/ijms27062608 · 2026-03-12

## TL;DR

Allergic inflammation in rat adipocytes activates the unfolded protein response and Ormdl3, and miR-665 inhibition affects the IRE1/XBP1 pathway and IL-6 secretion.

## Contribution

This study reveals that miR-665 selectively modulates the UPR and inflammatory response in adipocytes under allergic inflammation.

## Key findings

- Allergic inflammation in adipocytes activates UPR pathway genes and Ormdl3.
- miR-665 inhibition selectively affects the IRE1/XBP1 pathway and reduces IL-6 secretion.
- Bax expression is altered in response to allergic inflammation in adipocytes.

## Abstract

Endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) stress is an imbalance between the load of unfolded proteins and the ability of cellular mechanisms to handle it. Under the influence of this stress, cells activate the unfolded protein response (UPR). The molecular mechanisms of ER stress have been repeatedly linked to metabolic and inflammatory diseases, such as obesity and allergic inflammation. The aim of our study was to investigate if the allergic inflammation in adipocytes affects the expression of UPR pathway genes and Ormdl3 and whether miRNA-665 can modify inflammatory response in adipocytes. We isolated rat preadipocytes and treated them with IL-13 to induce allergic inflammation. Later, we transfected them with miRNA-665 inhibitor. RNA was isolated from adipocytes and analyzed by qPCR. From cell culture medium, we performed an LDH assay and ELISA for secreted IL-6 and TNFα proteins. A comparison between control cells and IL-13-treated cells showed significant differences in the expression of most of the studied UPR pathway genes, Ormdl3 and Bax. Comparing the IL-13-treated cells after miR-665 transfection with non-transfected ones, we observe significant differences only in Ire1α gene. Our research suggests that allergic inflammation induces an adaptive UPR in adipocytes and miR-665 may selectively modify this response, triggering the IRE1/XBP1 axis.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** ORMDL3 (ORMDL sphingolipid biosynthesis regulator 3) [NCBI Gene 94103], BAX (BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator) [NCBI Gene 581], ERN1 (endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1) [NCBI Gene 2081]
- **Proteins:** IL6 (interleukin 6), TNF (tumor necrosis factor)
- **Diseases:** obesity (MONDO:0011122)
- **Species:** Rattus norvegicus (taxon 10116)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** Bax (BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator) [NCBI Gene 24887], Mir665 (microRNA 665) [NCBI Gene 100314180] {aka rno-mir-665}, Xbp1 (X-box binding protein 1) [NCBI Gene 289754] {aka HTF}, Tnf (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 24835] {aka RATTNF, TNF-alpha, Tnfa}, Ormdl3 (ORMDL sphingolipid biosynthesis regulator 3) [NCBI Gene 360618] {aka LRRGT00183}, Il6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 24498] {aka ILg6, Ifnb2}, Il13 (interleukin 13) [NCBI Gene 116553]
- **Diseases:** obesity (MESH:D009765), Allergic Inflammation (MESH:D007249), metabolic (MESH:D008659)
- **Species:** Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116]

## Figures

6 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13026992/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13026992