Interferon-β inhibits toll-like receptor 9 processing in multiple sclerosis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Viral infections have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are present in peripheral blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain lesions of MS patients. pDCs sense viral DNA via Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), which has to be cleaved from the N-terminal to become functional (TLR9 processing). pDCs activated with TLR9 agonists promote T-helper type 1 (Th1)/T-helper type 17 (Th17) responses. In the animal model of MS, TLR9 agonists can induce disease. We hypothesized that pDCs are inhibited by disease-modifying therapy such as interferon (IFN)-β, consequently decreasing the frequency of MS attacks.

Methods

We separated pDCs from healthy subjects and patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS and clinically iso

SUBMITTER: Balashov KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3058378 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature