Abstract
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an IgE‑mediated upper airway disease with a high worldwide prevalence. MicroRNA (miR)‑205‑5p upregulation has been observed in AR; however, its role is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of miR‑205‑5p on AR‑associated inflammation. To establish an AR model, BALB/c mice were sensitized using an intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) on days 0, 7 and 14, followed by intranasal challenge with OVA on days 21‑27. A lentiviral sponge for miR‑205‑5p was used to downregulate miR‑205‑5p in vivo via intranasal administration on days 20‑26. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR revealed that miR‑205‑5p was upregulated in AR mice. Notably, miR‑205‑5p knockdown reduced the frequency of nose‑rubbing and sneezing, and attenuated pathological alterations in the nasal mucosa. The levels of total and OVA‑specific IgE, cytokines IL‑4, IL‑5 and IL‑13, and inflammatory cells, were decreased by miR‑205‑5p knockdown in AR mice. In addition, miR‑205‑5p knockdown inhibited nucleotide‑binding oligomerization domain‑like receptor family pyrin domain‑containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation by reducing the expression levels of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD, cleaved caspase‑1 and IL‑1β by western blot analysis. B‑cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) was confirmed as a target of miR‑205‑5p by luciferase reporter assay. In conclusion, the present findings suggested that miR‑205‑5p knockdown may attenuate the inflammatory response in AR by targeting BCL6, which may be a potential therapeutic target for AR.