mTORC1 signaling is crucial for regulatory T cells to suppress macrophage-mediated inflammatory response after acute myocardial infarction

Immunol Cell Biol. 2016 Mar;94(3):274-84. doi: 10.1038/icb.2015.88. Epub 2015 Oct 6.

Abstract

Post-infarction inflammatory response results in worse remodeling and dysfunction following myocardial infarction (MI). Supression of post-infarction inflammation would be a logical approach of alleviating post-infarction injury and promoting cardiac repair. In this study, we investigated the significance of mTORC1 signaling in the anti-inflammatory activity of regulatory T cells (Tregs) after MI. Using the murine MI model with wild type and Rag1(-/-) mice, we found that the mechanistic target of rapamycin compex 1 (mTORC1) signaling was upregulated in Tregs infiltrating into the infarcted myocardium, rather than in circulating Tregs after MI. The anti-inflammatory activity of infiltrating Tregs was significantly stronger than that of circulating Tregs. This was demonstrated by a higher expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines in the infiltrating Tregs and a robust suppression of proinflammatory cytokine production by macrophages. In an adoptive transfer analysis, compared with normal splenic Tregs, rapamycin-treated splenic Tregs ineffectively suppressed the post-infarction inflammatory response of infiltrating macrophages. In addition, in vitro cultured primary cardiomyocytes treated with mild oxygen glucose deprivation induced mTORC1 activation and a higher anti-inflammatory activity of Tregs in a coculture assay. Our study identified a new mechanism by which infiltrating Tregs subdue post-infarction inflammation. Understanding and utilizing this information would be helpful for designing new therapeutic interventions for MI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Macrophage Activation / immunology
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism*
  • Myocardial Infarction / complications*
  • Myocarditis / etiology*
  • Myocarditis / metabolism*
  • Myocarditis / pathology
  • Signal Transduction*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / pathology
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases