MicroRNA-214 regulates immunity-related genes in bovine mammary epithelial cells by targeting NFATc3 and TRAF3

•miR-214 targets NFATc3 and TRAF3 in human 293A cells.•miR-214 targets NFATc3 and TRAF3 in BMECs.•miR-214 indirectly inhibits MAP3K14, TBK1 and inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β.•miR-214 regulates the immunity-related genes by targeting NFATc3 and TRAF3.

In human, microRNA-214 (miR-214) plays crucial roles in mechanisms of immunity. However, the potential importance of miR-214 in immune mechanisms in dairy cows has not been investigated. In this study, we assessed potential immunity-related functions of miR-214 in human 293A cells and in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). We found that NFATc3 and TRAF3 could be targeted by miR-214 in both 293A cells and BMECs. We also found that miR-214 indirectly inhibited the expression of MAP3K14, TBK1 and inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β. Taken together, our data revealed miR-214 regulated immunity-related genes by targeting NFATc3 and TRAF3, which provides insight into the molecular basis of immunity.