Dataset Information

NLRX1 Limits Inflammatory Neurodegeneration in the Anterior Visual Pathway

ABSTRACT: Chronic innate immune activation in the central nervous system (CNS) significantly contributes to neurodegeneration in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Using multiple EAE models, we explored the potential of the innate immune sensor NLRX1 to protect neurons in the anterior visual pathway from inflammatory neurodegeneration. To do this, we assessed retinal ganglion cell (RGC) density and optic nerve axonal degeneration, gliosis, and T-cell infiltration in Nlrx1-/- and wild-type (WT) EAE mice. Our results indicate that Nlrx1-/- mice exhibit significantly increased RGC loss and axonal injury compared to WT mice in both active immunization EAE and spontaneous opticospinal encephalomyelitis models. Adoptive transfer experiments, in which wild type T cells were transferred into lymphocyte-deficient Rag-/- mice to minimize the effects of Nlrx1 knockout on peripheral lymphocyte priming, revealed more severe microgliosis and astrogliosis in the optic nerve of Nlrx1-/-Rag-/- mice compared to Rag-/- mice, suggesting a regulatory role of NLRX1 in innate immune compartments. Transcriptome analysis in primary astrocytes demonstrated that NLRX1 negatively regulates TLR-mediated NF-κB activation. The novel pharmacologic NLRX1 activator LABP-66 decreased LPS-mediated gene expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in mixed glial cultures. Moreover, treating EAE mice with oral LABP-66 after the onset of paralysis resulted in less anterior visual pathway neurodegeneration compared to vehicle. These data suggest that a pharmacologic NLRX1 activators attenuates glial immune activation and has the potential to limit inflammatory neurodegeneration in diseases, such as MS, where chronic CNS-compartmentalized inflammation may drive neurodegenerative pathology. This study highlights that NLRX1 could serve as a promising target for neuroprotection in progressive MS and other neurodegenerative diseases where chronic compartmentalized innate immune activation and neuroinflammation play a role.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE270482 | GEO | 2025/01/28

REPOSITORIES: GEO

ACCESS DATA

Dataset's files

Source:

			Action	DRS
		Other

Items per page:

1 - 1 of 1

Similar Datasets

Project description:MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that fine-tune diverse biological processes and are often found to be dysregulated in diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system characterized by demyelination, axonal loss and neurodegeneration. We have previously shown microRNA-150 (miR-150) levels to be elevated in cell-free cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of MS patients compared to controls. We aimed to investigate the physiopathological function of miR-150 in vivo by generating miR-150 knock-out (KO) and knock-in (KI) mice using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. To specifically interrogate the role of miR-150 upon inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS), we induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model for MS, in these newly generated mice. After induction of EAE, miR-150KO mice developed milder disease compared to WT littermate controls while miR-150KI mice presented with exacerbated EAE. Disease amelioration in miR-150KO was accompanied by decreased infiltration of CD4+ T cells in the central nervous system compared to WT and KI mice, as well as increased FoxP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in inguinal lymph nodes at disease priming stage. We demonstrated that Treg cells were fundamental for EAE amelioration in miR-150KO mice, as their partial depletion during EAE priming stage in miR-150KO FoxP3DTR mice restored disease incidence and severity to the levels observed in WT and KI mice. Transcriptomic profiling of CD4+ T cells isolated from miR-150KO mice revealed upregulation of genes associated with Treg cell function, but also reduced gene translation and autophagy, as compared to WT and particularly KI cells. The role of miR-150 in affecting the fate of CD4+ T cells was further supported by the grater tendency of miR-150KO CD4+ T cells to differentiate into Treg cells in-vitro. In conclusion, miR-150 deficiency favored considerably milder CNS inflammation by promoting differentiation of a more anti-inflammatory CD4+ T cell repertoire.

Dataset Information

NLRX1 Limits Inflammatory Neurodegeneration in the Anterior Visual Pathway

Dataset's files

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets