An immunological and transcriptomics approach on differential modulation of NK cells in multiple sclerosis patients under interferon-β1 and fingolimod therapy

Abstract

This study aims to compare NK cells obtained from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients receiving interferon-β1 and fingolimod therapies. Fingolimod reduced the CD56^bright NK cell subset. The remaining CD56^dim NK cells displayed NKG2D, NKp46, CD107a, and IFN-γ levels similar to those from the patients under interferon-β1 therapy. Alternatively, comparative transcriptomics and pathway analyses revealed significant distinctions between two therapy modalities. Molecular signature of the CD56^dim NK cells from fingolimod-treated MS patients was closely associated to those from healthy subjects. The basic assets of NK cells were modestly influenced by interferon-β1 and fingolimod, however transcriptomics showed profound alterations in NK responses.

Keywords: Fingolimod; Immunomodulation; Interferon; Multiple sclerosis; NK cells; NKp46; Next-generation sequencing.