Exosomes containing miR-1469 regulate natural killer cells by targeting CD122 in non-segmental vitiligo.

Plasma exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have been used as potential biomarkers for various diseases and have been investigated for their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. However, the miRNA expression profile of plasma exosomes in patients with non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) has not been determined yet. To screen differentially expressed microRNAs in plasma exosomes derived from patients with NSV and explore their roles in the pathogenesis of NSV. High-throughput sequencing was performed to determine the expression profiles of exosomal miRNAs in NSV. The effect of upregulated miR-1469 in NSV circulating exosomes on natural killer (NK) cells was further investigated using various molecular biological techniques. MiR-1469 was identified as a candidate biomarker whose expression was significantly increased in circulating exosomes of NSV patients. Circulating exosomes were internalized by NK cells and increased NK cell proliferation viability and IFN-γ secretion capacity delivering miR-1469. Further studies revealed that the upregulation of CD122, the predicted target of miR-1469, could partially reverse the effect of miR-1469 on natural killer cells. Alterations in plasma exosomal cargo occur in NSV and appear to contribute to NK cell dysfunction. Exosomal miR-1469 may be a biomarker of disease activity and could be used as a therapeutic drug target against innate immunity in NSV patients. The present study provides new insights into the role of exosomal miRNAs in NSV and suggests a novel miR-1469-CD122-IFN-γ pathway of NK cell underlying pathogenesis of NSV. • MiR-1469 derived from plasma exosomes of patients with non-segmental vitiligo is significantly elevated. • MiR-1469 is negatively correlated with the frequency of IFN-γ+ natural killer cells in non-segmental vitiligo. • MiR-1469 downregulates proliferation viability and IFN-γ secretion of natural killer cells by inhibiting CD122. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]