Scientific Journal of

  Abstract

 Background and Objectives

 Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease in which the body’s natural defense system attacks myelin on neuronal cells. One of the most important immune system cells involved in MS is Th17 which is one of the main cells involved in most of autoimmune diseases. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been remarkably used in treating many kinds of diseases. MicroRNAs are endogenous 22-25 nt RNAs playing an important regulatory roles in cellular and developmental processes.

 Materials and Methods

 The goal of this article is to determine miRNAs which possibly have the most effect in the pathway of differentiation to Th17 cells by using miRWalk database and candidate microRNAs that can suppress this pathway and limit the disease’s symptoms. Our in-silico studies identified the possible role of several miRNAs in differentiation of naïve CD4⁺ cells to Th17 cells. 

 Results

 miR-93,miR-20a/b are probably applicable to inhibit the differentiation of naïve T cells into Th17 cells to reduce the progress of MS and also to be used as markers of diagnosis of MS in early stages. 

 Conclusions

 According to our results miR-20a/b&miR-93 can possibly be the key miRNAs, inhibiting the progression of MS by preventing the differentiation to Th17 cells.