The TSC-mTOR Pathway Regulates Macrophage Polarization

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2013 Nov 28

PMID 24280772

Citations 287

Authors

Vanessa Byles

Anthony J Covarrubias

Issam Ben-Sahra

Dudley W Lamming

David M Sabatini

Brendan D Manning

Tiffany Horng

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Macrophages are able to polarize to proinflammatory M1 or alternative M2 states with distinct phenotypes and physiological functions. How metabolic status regulates macrophage polarization remains not well understood, and here we examine the role of mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin), a central metabolic pathway that couples nutrient sensing to regulation of metabolic processes. Using a mouse model in which myeloid lineage-specific deletion of Tsc1 (Tsc1(Δ/Δ)) leads to constitutive mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) activation, we find that Tsc1(Δ/Δ) macrophages are refractory to IL-4-induced M2 polarization, but produce increased inflammatory responses to proinflammatory stimuli. Moreover, mTORC1-mediated downregulation of Akt signalling critically contributes to defective polarization. These findings highlight a key role for the mTOR pathway in regulating macrophage polarization, and suggest how nutrient sensing and metabolic status could be 'hard-wired' to control of macrophage function, with broad implications for regulation of type 2 immunity, inflammation and allergy.

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