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MiR-146a modulates autoreactive Th17 cell differentiation and regulates organ-specific autoimmunity.

ABSTRACT: Autoreactive CD4 T cells that differentiate into pathogenic Th17 cells can trigger autoimmune diseases. Therefore, investigating the regulatory network that modulates Th17 differentiation may yield important therapeutic insights. miR-146a has emerged as a critical modulator of immune reactions, but its role in regulating autoreactive Th17 cells and organ-specific autoimmunity remains largely unknown. Here, we have reported that miR-146a-deficient mice developed more severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of human multiple sclerosis (MS). We bred miR-146a-deficient mice with 2D2 T cell receptor-Tg mice to generate 2D2 CD4 T cells that are deficient in miR-146a and specific for myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), an autoantigen in the EAE model. miR-146a-deficient 2D2 T cells induced more severe EAE and were more prone to differentiate into Th17 cells. Microarray analysis revealed enhancements in IL-6- and IL-21-induced Th17 differentiation pathways in these T cells. Further study showed that miR-146a inhibited the production of autocrine IL-6 and IL-21 in 2D2 T cells, which in turn reduced their Th17 differentiation. Thus, our study identifies miR-146a as an important molecular brake that blocks the autocrine IL-6- and IL-21-induced Th17 differentiation pathways in autoreactive CD4 T cells, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for treating autoimmune diseases.

SUBMITTER: Li B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5617680 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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miR-146a modulates autoreactive Th17 cell differentiation and regulates organ-specific autoimmunity.

Li Bo B Wang Xi X Choi In Young IY Wang Yu-Chen YC Liu Siyuan S Pham Alexander T AT Moon Heesung H Smith Drake J DJ Rao Dinesh S DS Boldin Mark P MP Yang Lili L

The Journal of clinical investigation 20170905 10

Autoreactive CD4 T cells that differentiate into pathogenic Th17 cells can trigger autoimmune diseases. Therefore, investigating the regulatory network that modulates Th17 differentiation may yield important therapeutic insights. miR-146a has emerged as a critical modulator of immune reactions, but its role in regulating autoreactive Th17 cells and organ-specific autoimmunity remains largely unknown. Here, we have reported that miR-146a-deficient mice developed more severe experimental autoimmun ...[more]

PMID: 28872459

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is well known for activating the innate immune system; however, it is also highly expressed in adaptive immune cells, such as CD4+ T-helper 17 (Th17) cells, which play a key role in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology. However, the function and governing mechanism of TLR4 in Th17 remain unclear. METHODS:The changes of TLR4 in CD4+ T cells from MS patients and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice were tested. TLR4-deficient (TLR4-/-) naïve T cells were induced in vitro and transferred into Rag1-/- mice to measure Th17 differentiation and EAE pathology. DNA sequence analyses combining with deletion fragments and mutation analyses, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were used to explore the mechanism of TLR4 signaling pathway in regulating Th17 differentiation. RESULTS:The levels of TLR4 were increased in CD4+ Th17 cells both from MS patients and EAE mice, as well as during Th17 differentiation in vitro. TLR4-/- CD4+ naïve T cells inhibited their differentiation into Th17, and transfer of TLR4-/- CD4+ naïve T cells into Rag1-/- mice was defective in promoting EAE, characterized by less demyelination and Th17 infiltration in the spinal cord. TLR4 signal enhanced Th17 differentiation by activating RelA, downregulating the expression of miR-30a, a negative regulator of Th17 differentiation. Inhibition of RelA activity increased miR-30a level, but decreased Th17 differentiation rate. Furthermore, RelA directly regulated the expression of miR-30a via specific binding to a conserved element of miR-30a gene. CONCLUSIONS:TLR4-/- CD4+ naïve T cells are inadequate in differentiating to Th17 cells both in vitro and in vivo. TLR4-RelA-miR-30a signal pathway regulates Th17 differentiation via direct binding of RelA to the regulatory element of miR-30a gene. Our results indicate modulating TLR4-RelA-miR-30a signal in Th17 may be a therapeutic target for Th17-mediated neurodegeneration in neuroinflammatory diseases.

Dataset Information

MiR-146a modulates autoreactive Th17 cell differentiation and regulates organ-specific autoimmunity.

Publications

miR-146a modulates autoreactive Th17 cell differentiation and regulates organ-specific autoimmunity.

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