Nature: scientists identify potential new targets for the treatment of multiple sclerosis

February 19, 2020 / BIOON / -- recently, in a research report entitled "mafG driven astrocytes promote CNS inflammation" published in the international journal Nature, scientists from Harvard Medical School and other institutions revealed the molecular mechanism of astrocytes driven by mafG promoting central nervous system inflammation through research Image source: the conversation multiple sclerosis (MS, multiple Sclerosis) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, and it is also a rare disease, which occurs in the young and middle-aged people aged 20-40 years The damage and peeling of the myelin sheath of the patients results in the damage of their spinal cord, brain and optic nerve functions Generally, the patients' neurological disability will gradually increase after the onset of the disease, which will make them lose their self-care ability Blindness and even loss of life Astrocytes are involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, but at present, researchers are not clear about the heterogeneity of astrocytes and its regulatory mechanism; in this study, the researchers use single cell RNA sequencing technology in combination with cell-specific ribotag The function and characteristics of astrocytes in multiple sclerosis were analyzed by RNA analysis technology At the same time, the preclinical model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model was also studied In this paper, the researchers used ATAC SEQ, chip SEQ technology, whole genome DNA methylation analysis technology and crispr-cas9 in vivo Genetic interference technology was studied According to the researchers, the astrocytes they identified in EAE and multiple sclerosis are characterized by decreased Nrf2 gene expression level and increased mafG gene expression level These two genes may cooperate with mat2a to promote DNA methylation and inhibit the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory transcription programs of the body Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) signal in astrocytes can drive the expression of mafG and mat2a and promote inflammatory transcription regulation, so as to promote the pathological expression of central nervous system in EAE and multiple sclerosis In this study, researchers have identified a potential therapeutic target, which may help researchers to develop treatment for multiple sclerosis in the later stage A new treatment for multiple diseases such as sex sclerosis Original source: Wheeler, M.A., Clark, I.C., tjon, E.C et al MafG driven astrocytes promote CNS information Nature (2020) Doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-1999-0