Extracellular vesicles derived from miR-199a-5p-modified adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells alleviate immune thrombocytopenia by inhibiting T helper 17 differentiation.

The abnormal differentiation of T helper 17 (Th17) cells is considered a vital promoter of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) progression. Therefore, this study investigated the role of miR-199a-5p in Th17 differentiation and determined whether extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from miR-199a-5p-modified adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) could relieve ITP by inhibiting Th17 differentiation. The miR-199a-5p level was lessened in the spleen tissues of mice with ITP, while the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) expression and the population of Th17 in CD4T cells were boosted. Functionally, miR-199a-5p overexpression lowered IL-17 secretion and the proportion of Th17/CD4T cells. Further investigation showed that miR-199a-5p directly targeted STAT3 mRNA, and negatively modulated its expression. STAT3 overexpression was found to facilitate Th17 differentiation, which was subsequently abolished by miR-199a-5p overexpression. EVs isolated from miR-199a-5p-modified ADSCs (miR-199a-5p-EVs) highly expressed miR-199a-5p and could restrain CD4T cells polarized toward a Th17 phenotype in vitro. Administering of miR-199a-5p-EVs elevated platelet counts and decreased the proportion of Th17/CD4T cells in mice with ITP. Taken together, EVs derived from miR-199a-5p-modified ADSCs vividly repressed Th17 differentiation by transferring miR-199a-5p to CD4T cells, thus ameliorating experimental ITP.