Interferon regulatory factor 1 regulation of oligodendrocyte injury and inflammatory demyelination

Eileah Loda, Roumen Balabanov*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

Oligodendrocyte injury and inflammatory demyelination are key pathological abnormalities of multiple sclerosis (MS), and its animal model, i.e., the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Traditionally, they are viewed as destructive processes secondary to a dysregulated autoimmune reaction. New evidence emerged over the last decade indicating that oligodendrocytes are not merely immune targets but rather active participants in the neuroimmune network and, in fact, can regulate the events leading to inflammatory demyelination. In this review, we are discussing the role of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) as a master transcription factor orchestrating oligodendrocyte injury and inflammatory demyelination in MS and EAE. We are also discussing the significance of IRF-1 signaling in the induction of oligodendrocyte pyroptosis, a Caspase 1-dependent pro-inflammatory cell death, as a disease-enhancing mechanism. Finally, we are drawing attention to IRF-1 as a potential therapeutic target in MS and to the importance of investigating other oligodendrocyte- dependent disease mechanisms.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)145-152
Number of pages8
JournalReviews in the Neurosciences
Volume23
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2012

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH K08 NS5040901), the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS PP 14509), and RG4466-A-3 to Roumen Balabanov.

Keywords

  • Caspase 1
  • IRF-1
  • central nervous system (CNS) inflammation
  • demyelination
  • glial cells
  • interferon regulatory factor 1
  • multiple sclerosis
  • oligodendrocytes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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