Biotechnology Program, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, 11835, Cairo, Egypt.
Children's Cancer Hospital, 57357, Cairo, Egypt.
Immunol Res. 2023 Apr;71(2):229-246. doi: 10.1007/s12026-022-09344-2. Epub 2022 Dec 1.
Macro-autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic process among eukaryotes affecting macrophages. This work studies the genetic regulatory network involving the interplay between autophagy and macrophage polarization (activation). Autophagy-related genes (Atgs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of macrophage polarization (M1-M2) were predicted, and their regulatory networks constructed. Naïve (M0) mouse bone marrow-derived monocytes were differentiated into M1 and M2a. Validation of the targets of Smad1, LC3A and LC3B, Atg16L1, Atg7, IL-6, CD68, Arg-1, and Vamp7 was performed in vitro. Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry revealed three macrophage phenotypes: M0 (IL-6 + /CD68 +), M1 (IL-6 + /CD68 + /Arg-1 +), and M2a (CD68 + /Arg-1). Confocal microscopy revealed increased autophagy in both M1 and M2a and a significant increase in the pre-autophagosomes size and number. Bafilomycin A increased the expression of CD68 and Arg-1 in all cell lineages. In conclusion, our approach predicted the protein targets mediating the interplay between autophagy and macrophage polarization. We suggest that autophagy reprograms macrophage polarization via CD68, arginase 1, Atg16L1-1, and Atg16L1-3. The current findings provide a foundation for the future use of macrophages in immunotherapy of different autoimmune disorders.
自噬是真核生物中一种高度保守的分解代谢过程,影响巨噬细胞。本研究探讨了自噬与巨噬细胞极化(激活)相互作用的遗传调控网络。预测了自噬相关基因(Atgs)和巨噬细胞极化(M1-M2)的差异表达基因(DEGs),并构建了它们的调控网络。将幼稚(M0)小鼠骨髓来源的单核细胞分化为 M1 和 M2a。在体外验证了 Smad1、LC3A 和 LC3B、Atg16L1、Atg7、IL-6、CD68、Arg-1 和 Vamp7 的靶点。流式细胞术免疫表型分析显示了三种巨噬细胞表型:M0(IL-6+ / CD68+)、M1(IL-6+ / CD68+ / Arg-1+)和 M2a(CD68+ / Arg-1+)。共聚焦显微镜显示自噬在 M1 和 M2a 中均增加,并且前自噬体的大小和数量显著增加。巴弗洛霉素 A 增加了所有细胞系中 CD68 和 Arg-1 的表达。总之,我们的方法预测了介导自噬与巨噬细胞极化相互作用的蛋白靶标。我们认为自噬通过 CD68、精氨酸酶 1、Atg16L1-1 和 Atg16L1-3 重新编程巨噬细胞极化。目前的研究结果为未来利用巨噬细胞治疗不同自身免疫性疾病的免疫治疗提供了基础。