Neuroectodermal interleukin 12 signaling attenuates spinal cord inflammation and demyelination

Arshad Mehmood; Miraj Din; Muhammad Munawer; Sunil Shah; Xiaohui Liu; Hui Jiang; Xuemei Wang

doi:10.5114/fn.2026.158745

eISSN: 1509-572x
ISSN: 1641-4640

Folia Neuropathologica

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abstract:

Original paper

Neuroectodermal interleukin 12 signaling attenuates spinal cord inflammation and demyelination

Arshad Mehmood

¹

,

Miraj U. Din

¹

,

Muhammad F. Munawer

¹

,

Sunil K. Shah

¹

,

Xiaohui Liu

¹

,

Hui Jiang

¹

,

Xuemei Wang

¹

State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China

Folia Neuropathol 2026; 64 (1)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/fn.2026.158745

Online publish date: 2026/01/30

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Introduction
Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a driver of type 1 immunity. Interleukin 12 reduces inflammation in an autoimmune condition in the spinal cord. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of IL-12 in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model.

Material and methods
Interleukin 12 expression was mapped in neurons, oligodendrocytes, natural killer cells, and T lymphocyte cells in the spinal cord of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice.

Results
Interleukin 12 ablation in neurons, oligodendrocytes, natural killer, and T lymphocyte cells in mice and their susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis showed that the neuroprotective role of IL-12 is mediated by neuroectoderm-derived cells – neurons.

Conclusions
Single-nucleus RNA sequencing revealed an IL-12 receptor-induced neuroprotective effect that prevents neurodegeneration, sustains trophic factor release in neuroinflammation, and maintains spinal cord integrity.

keywords:

Neuroectodermal interleukin 12 signaling attenuates spinal cord inflammation and demyelination

Arshad Mehmood 1 , Miraj U. Din 1 , Muhammad F. Munawer 1 , Sunil K. Shah 1 , Xiaohui Liu 1 , Hui Jiang 1 , Xuemei Wang 1

experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, IL-12R, multiple sclerosis, neuroinflammation, NK and T cells, oligodendrocytes, snRNA-seq, spinal cord

Arshad Mehmood

¹

,

Miraj U. Din

¹

,

Muhammad F. Munawer

¹

,

Sunil K. Shah

¹

,

Xiaohui Liu

¹

,

Hui Jiang

¹

,

Xuemei Wang

¹