Expression of IL-22 in normal and inflamed central nervous system

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the leading cause of non-traumatic neurological disability with longstanding morbidity. Scotland has the highest prevalence of MS in the world. Although the cause of MS is not clear, it is an autoimmune disease and cytokines play essential roles in the initiation, 5 development and resolution stages of the disease. Understanding the functions of these cytokines in the development of MS is essential for developing effective therapies. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is an important modulator of the immune system. We recently observed that the production levels of IL-22 by the lymphoid organs are closely related to the severity of CNS inflammation in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for MS disease. This summer project aims to further understand the role of IL-22 in MS disease by examining the expression of IL-22 in the CNS tissues during the development of EAE.