Silencing microRNA-155 ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

J Immunol. 2011 Sep 1;187(5):2213-21. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003952. Epub 2011 Jul 25.

Abstract

IFN-γ-producing Th1 and IL-17-producing Th17 cells are the key participants in various autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Although both of these T cell subsets are known to be regulated by specific transcription factors and cytokines, the role of microRNAs that control these two inflammatory T cell subsets and whether targeting microRNAs can have therapeutic effects are not known. In this study, we show that microRNA-155 (Mir-155) expression is elevated in CD4(+) T cells during EAE, and Mir-155(-/-) mice had a delayed course and reduced severity of disease and less inflammation in the CNS. The attenuation of EAE in Mir-155(-/-) mice was associated with a decrease in Th1 and Th17 responses in the CNS and peripheral lymphoid organs. The T cell-intrinsic function of Mir-155(-/-) was demonstrated by the resistance of Mir-155(-/-) CD4(+) T cell-repleted Rag-1(-/-) mice to EAE. Finally, we found that anti-Mir-155 treatment reduced clinical severity of EAE when given before and after the appearance of clinical symptoms. These findings demonstrate that Mir-155 confers susceptibility to EAE by affecting inflammatory T cell responses and identify Mir-155 as a new target for therapeutic intervention in multiple sclerosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / genetics*
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology
  • Gene Silencing
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / immunology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • Mirn155 microRNA, mouse