Epigenetic regulation of macrophage activation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Feng Zhang; Yachao Cui; Tiejun Zhang; Wenguang Yin

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2024.1445372

Epigenetic regulation of macrophage activation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Front Immunol. 2024 Aug 14:15:1445372. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1445372. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Feng Zhang^{1

2}, Yachao Cui^{1

2}, Tiejun Zhang^{1

3}, Wenguang Yin^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University (GMU) - Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health (GIBH) Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
² Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio Island, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
³ The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory for Cell Fate Regulation and Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Medical University Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Abstract

Macrophages in the innate immune system play a vital role in various lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis. Macrophages involved in the process of immunity need to go through a process of activation, including changes in gene expression and cell metabolism. Epigenetic modifications are key factors of macrophage activation including DNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNA regulation. Understanding the role and mechanisms of epigenetic regulation of macrophage activation can provide insights into the function of macrophages in lung diseases and help identification of potential therapeutic targets. This review summarizes the latest progress in the epigenetic changes and regulation of macrophages in their development process and in normal physiological states, and the epigenetic regulation of macrophages in COPD as well as the influence of macrophage activation on COPD development.

Keywords: COPD; DNA methylation; epigenetic regulation; histone modifications; macrophage.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
DNA Methylation*
Epigenesis, Genetic*
Humans
Macrophage Activation* / genetics
Macrophage Activation* / immunology
Macrophages* / immunology
Macrophages* / metabolism
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / genetics
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / immunology

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Funding for this study was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81970019), R&D Program of Guangzhou Laboratory (YW-JCYJ0505, SRPG22-016, SRPG22-021, GZNL2024A02005), Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University (No. SKLGE-2305), Open Project of the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease (SKLRD-OP-202110), The National Natural Science Foundation of China (31501169), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2024A1515012968,2022A1515011058), Scientific Research Project of Education Department of Guangdong Province (2023ZDZX2042,2021KTSCX087), Tertiary Education Scientific Research Project of Guangzhou Municipal Education Bureau (Yangcheng Scholar, 202235405), The open research funds from the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People’s Hospital (202201-306).