Expression data from human regulatory T cells of short chain fatty acid propionic acid treated MS patients

Short chain fatty acids were shown to affect regulatory immune response in context of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). Recent studys in an animal model of MS revealed significant impact of short chain fatty acid propionate (PA) on the differentiation towards regulatory Tcells (Treg). In a translational proof of concept study PA was administered to relapse remitting MS patients. We observed an increase of Treg in peripheral blood as well as functional improvement in Treg suppressive capacity beside a decrease of proinflammatory Thelper1 and 17 cells. To investigate underlying mechanisms of the observed shift in immune cell balance, intensive transcriptomic analysis on isolated Treg from whole blood PBMC of PA treated relapse remitting MS patients was performed at baseline, 14 days and 90 days of treatment. Overall design: PA was supplemented on daily basis in three new diagnosed relapse remitting MS patients for 90 consecutive days. Blood was collcected in EDTA tubes with subsequent PBMC isolation by density gradient centrifugation. Treg were isolated by MACS technology, stored in RNA protect reagent and immediatly frozen on -80°C for subsequent microarray analysis to compare all three timepoints of treatment.