Defective structural RNA processing in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

It is fundamentally unknown how normal cellular processes or responses to extracellular stimuli may invoke polyadenylation and degradation of ncRNA substrates or if human disease processes exhibit defects in polyadenylation of ncRNA substrates as part of their pathogenesis. Our results demonstrate that mononuclear cells from subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) exhibit pervasive increases in levels of polyadenylated ncRNAs including Y1 RNA, 18S and 28S rRNA, and U1, U2, and U4 snRNAs and these defects are unique to RRMS. Defects in expression of both Ro60 and La proteins in RRMS appear to contribute to increased polyadenylation of ncRNAs. Further, IFN-ß1b, a common RRMS therapy, restores both Ro60 and La levels to normal as well as levels of polyadenylated Y1 RNA and U1 snRNA suggesting that aberrant polyadenylation of ncRNA substrates may have pathogenic consequences. Overall design: We extracted RNA from peripheral whole blood in healthy control subjects and patients with established relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis using PaxGene tubes.