IL-38 Ablation Reduces Local Inflammation and Disease Severity in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Abstract IL-38 is an IL-1 family receptor antagonist that restricts IL-17–driven inflammation by limiting cytokine production from macrophages and T cells. In the current study, we aimed to explore its role in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice, which is, among others, driven IL-17. Unexpectedly, IL-38–deficient mice showed strongly reduced clinical scores histological markers of encephalomyelitis. This was accompanied inflammatory cell infiltrates, including cells, as well expression spinal cord. highly expressed infiltrating cord, vitro activated bone marrow–derived markers, altered cellular metabolism. These data suggest alternative cell-intrinsic promote CNS.