miR-27a and miR-214 exert opposite regulatory roles in Th17 differentiation via mediating different signaling pathways in peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphocytes of patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Immunogenetics (New York) Vol. 68; no. 1; pp. 43 - 54
• Main Authors: Ahmadian-Elmi, Maryam, Bidmeshki Pour, Ali, Naghavian, Reza, Ghaedi, Kamran, Tanhaei, Somayeh, Izadi, Tayebeh, Nasr-Esfahani, Mohammad Hossein
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Allergology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Cell Biology; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation; Gene Function; Human Genetics; Humans; Immunology; MicroRNAs - physiology; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - blood; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - genetics; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - immunology; Original Paper; Reference Values; Signal Transduction - genetics; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - physiology; Th17 Cells - cytology; Th17 Cells - immunology; miR-27a; miRNA; miR-214; Differentiation; Relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis; Th17 cells
• ISSN: 0093-7711; 1432-1211
• DOI: 10.1007/s00251-015-0881-y

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases, which involves the central nervous system. In this illness, Treg/Th17 cell imbalance causes the defect. Several studies revealed that T helper 17 (Th17) cells play a crucial role in pathogenesis, inflammation, and autoimmunity of several autoimmune diseases such as MS. In the present study, we assessed transcript levels of miR-27a and miR-214, in purified CD4
+
T cells of MS patients, during relapsing and remitting phases in inducing differentiation of T naïve cells to Th17 cells. Forty RR-MS patient samples including those in relapsing (
n
 = 20) and remitting (
n
 = 20) phases were participated in this study. In addition, transcript levels of IL-17A, RORγt, IL-23R, Foxp3, and TGF-β in purified CD4
+
T cells of patients in relapsing and remitting phases of RRMS patients were compared to healthy controls. Expression levels of miR-27a and miR-214 were measured by RT-qPCR and compared to healthy control group (
n
 = 10). Data indicated upregulation of miR27a in relapsing phase of multiple sclerosis compared to remitting phase and healthy volunteers while miR-214 downregulated in relapsing phase of MS compared to remitting phase and healthy volunteers. In silico studies demonstrated pathways which miR-27a and miR-214 could effect on CD4
+
T cell lineage fate including TGF-β and mTOR signaling, respectively. Our data suggest that miR-27a may probably inhibit negative regulators of Th17 cell differentiation, thus promoting its differentiation while miR-214 has an adverse effect.