BRD4 expression in microglia supports recruitment of T cells into the CNS and exacerbates EAE

Abstract

In EAE, a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, immunization with MOG autoantigen results in the generation of Th1/Th17 T cells in the periphery. MOG-specific T cells then invade into the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in neuronal demyelination. Microglia, innate immune cells in the CNS are known to regulate various neuronal diseases. However, the role of microglia in EAE has remained elusive. BRD4 is a BET protein expressed in microglia, whether BRD4 in microglia contributes to EAE has not been determined. We show that EAE pathology was markedly reduced with microglia-specific Brd4 conditional knockout (cKO). In these mice, microglia- T cell interactions were greatly reduced, leading to the lack of T cell reactivation. Microglia specific transcriptome data showed downregulation of genes required for interaction with and reactivation of T cells in Brd4 cKO samples. In summary, BRD4 plays a critical role in regulating microglia function in normal and EAE CNS. SummaryThis study demonstrates that in a EAE model, microglia-specific Brd4 conditional knockout mice were defective in expressing genes required for microglia- T cells interaction and those involved in neuroinflammation, and demyelination resulting in fewer CNS T cell invasion and display marked reduction in EAE pathology.