IL-4 directly signals tissue-resident macrophages to proliferate beyond homeostatic levels controlled by CSF-1

Transcriptomic meta-analysis of multiple sclerosis and its experimental models

Background

Multiple microarray analyses of multiple sclerosis (MS) and its experimental models have been published in the last years.

Objective

Meta-analyses integrate the information from multiple studies and are suggested to be a powerful approach in detecting highly relevant and commonly affected pathways.

Data sources

ArrayExpress, Gene Expression Omnibus and PubMed databases were screened for microarray gene expression profiling studies of MS and its experimental animal models.

Study eligibility criteria

Studies comparing central nervous system (CNS) samples of diseased versus healthy individuals with n >1 per group and publically available raw data were selected.

Material and Methods

Included conditions for re-analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were MS, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in rats, proteolipid protein-induced EAE in mice, Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease (TMEV-IDD), and a transgenic tumor necrosis factor-overexpressing mouse model (TNFtg). Since solely a single MS raw data set fulfilled the inclusion criteria, a merged list containing the DEGs from two MS-studies was additionally included. Cross-study analysis was performed employing list comparisons of DEGs and alternatively Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA).

Results

The intersection of DEGs in MS, EAE, TMEV-IDD, and TNFtg contained 12 genes related to macrophage functions. The intersection of EAE, TMEV-IDD and TNFtg comprised 40 DEGs, functionally related to positive regulation of immune response. Over and above, GSEA identified substantially more differentially regulated pathways including coagulation and JAK/STAT-signaling.

Conclusion

A meta-analysis based on a simple comparison of DEGs is over-conservative. In contrast, the more experimental GSEA approach identified both, a priori anticipated as well as promising new candidate pathways.

From proliferation to proliferation: monocyte lineage comes full circle

Monocytes are mononuclear circulating phagocytes that originate in the bone marrow and give rise to macrophages in peripheral tissue. For decades, our understanding of monocyte lineage was bound to a stepwise model that favored an inverse relationship between cellular proliferation and differentiation. Sophisticated molecular and surgical cell tracking tools have transformed our thinking about monocyte topo-ontogeny and function. Here, we discuss how recent studies focusing on progenitor proliferation and differentiation, monocyte mobilization and recruitment, and macrophage differentiation and proliferation are reshaping knowledge of monocyte lineage in steady state and disease.

Kupffer Cells in Health and Disease

Kupffer cells (KC), the resident macrophages of the liver, represent the largest population of mononuclear phagocytes in the body. Phenotypic, developmental, and functional aspects of these cells in steady state and in different diseases are the focus of this review. Recently it has become evident that KC precursors seed the liver already early in fetal development, and the population can be maintained independently from circulating monocytes. However, inflammatory conditions allow rapid differentiation of monocytes into mature cells that are indistinguishable from genuine KC. KC are located in the lumen of sinusoids that receive blood both from the portal vein, carrying nutrients and microbial products from the gut, and from the hepatic artery. This positions KC ideally for their prime function, namely surveillance and clearance of the circulation. As such, they are important in iron recycling by phagocytosing effete erythrocytes, for instance. The immunophenotype of KC, characterized by a wide variety of endocytic receptors, is indicative of this scavenger function. In maintaining homeostasis, KC have an ambivalent response to exogenous triggers. On the one hand, their surveillance function requires alert responses to potentially hazardous substances. On the other hand, continuous exposure of the cells to the trigger-rich content of blood originating from the gut dampens their responsiveness to further stimuli. This ambivalence is also reflected in their diverse roles in disease pathogenesis. For the latter, we sketch the contribution of KC by giving examples of their role in metabolic disease, infections, and liver injury.

Beyond stem cells: self-renewal of differentiated macrophages

In many mammalian tissues, mature differentiated cells are replaced by self-renewing stem cells, either continuously during homeostasis or in response to challenge and injury. For example, hematopoietic stem cells generate all mature blood cells, including monocytes, which have long been thought to be the major source of tissue macrophages. Recently, however, major macrophage populations were found to be derived from embryonic progenitors and to renew independently of hematopoietic stem cells. This process may not require progenitors, as mature macrophages can proliferate in response to specific stimuli indefinitely and without transformation or loss of functional differentiation. These findings suggest that macrophages are mature differentiated cells that may have a self-renewal potential similar to that of stem cells.