Abstract
Serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 3 (SRSF3), the smallest member of the SR protein family, serves multiple roles in RNA processing, including splicing, translation, and stability. Recent studies have shown that SRSF3 is implicated in several inflammatory diseases. However, its impact on macrophage inflammation remains unclear. Herein, we determined the expression of SRSF3 in inflammatory macrophages and found that the level of SRSF3 was increased in macrophages within atherosclerotic plaques, as well as in RAW-264.7 macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharides. Moreover, the downregulation of SRSF3 suppressed the levels of inflammatory cytokines by deactivating the nuclear factor κB (NFκB) pathway. Furthermore, the alternative splicing of myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2), a co-receptor of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), is regulated by SRSF3. The depletion of SRSF3 increased the level of the shorter MD2B splicing variants, which contributed to inflammatory inhibition in macrophages. In conclusion, our findings imply that SRSF3 regulates lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammation, in part by controlling the alternative splicing of MD2 mRNA in macrophages.