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We recently demonstrated that the β-glucan receptor Dectin-1 (βGR) was the major nonopsonic β-glucan receptor on macrophages (Mφ) for the yeast-derived particle zymosan. However, on resident peritoneal Mφ, we identified an additional mannan-inhibitable receptor for zymosan that was distinct from the Mφ mannose receptor (MR). In this study, we have studied the mannose-binding potential of murine Mφ and identified the dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin homolog, SIGN-related 1 (SIGNR1), as a major MR on murine resident peritoneal Mφ. Both SIGNR1 and βGR cooperated in the nonopsonic recognition of zymosan by these Mφ. When SIGNR1 was introduced into NIH3T3 fibroblasts or RAW 264.7 Mφ, it conferred marked zymosan-binding potential on these cells. However, in the nonprofessional phagocytes (NIH3T3), SIGNR1 was found to be poorly phagocytic, suggesting that other receptors such as βGR may play a more dominant role in particle internalization on professional phagocytes. Binding of zymosan to RAW 264.7 Mφ expressing SIGNR1 resulted in TNF-α production. Treatment of RAW 264.7 Mφ expressing SIGNR1, which express low levels of βGR, with β-glucans had little effect on binding or TNF-α production, indicating that there was no absolute requirement for βGR in this process. These studies have identified SIGNR1 as a major MR for fungal and other pathogens present on specific subsets of Mφ.

We examined the effect of modulating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity in a murine model of cecal ligation and puncture-induced polymicrobial sepsis. Inhibition of PI3K activity with wortmannin increased serum cytokine levels and decreased survival time in septic mice. We have reported that an immunomodulator, glucan phosphate, induces protection in murine polymicrobial sepsis. We observed that glucan stimulated tissue PI3K activity, which positively correlated with increased survival in septic mice. We investigated the effect of PI3K inhibition on survival in septic mice treated with glucan. Treatment of mice with the PI3K inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, completely eliminated the protective effect of glucan, indicating that protection against septic mortality was mediated through PI3K. Inhibition of PI3K resulted in increased serum levels of IL1-β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and TNF-α in septic mice. Apoptosis is thought to play a central role in the response to septic injury. We observed that inhibition of PI3K activity in septic mice resulted in increased splenocyte apoptosis and a change in the anatomic distribution of splenocyte apoptosis. We conclude that PI3K is a compensatory mechanism that suppresses proinflammatory and apoptotic processes in response to sepsis and/or inflammatory injury. Thus, PI3K may play a pivotal role in the maintenance of homeostasis and the integrity of the immune response during sepsis. We also observed that glucan phosphate decreased septic morbidity and mortality through a PI3K-dependent mechanism. This suggests that stimulation of the PI3K pathway may be an effective approach l'or preventing or treating sepsis and/or septic shock.

Glucan, an immunomodulator, has been reported to increase collagen deposition and tensile strength in experimental models of wound repair. Previous data suggest that glucan modulates wound healing via an indirect mechanism in which macrophages are stimulated to release growth factors and cytokines. However, recent data have shown the presence of glucan receptors on normal human dermal fibroblasts, suggesting that glucans may be able to directly stimulate fibroblast collagen biosynthesis. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of glucan on collagen biosynthesis in normal human dermal fibroblasts. We assessed nuclear factor-1 (NF-1) activation, procollagen mRNA expression, collagen biosynthesis, and whether there was a causal link between glucan treatment, NF-1 activation, and collagen expression. Glucan (1 μg/ml) increased NF-1 binding activity by 46% (8 hours), 64% (24 hours), 215% (36 hours), and 119% (48 hours) in cultured normal human dermal fibroblasts. Alpha 1(I) and α1 (III) procollagen mRNA were increased in glucan-treated normal human dermal fibroblasts when compared with the untreated fibroblasts. Collagen synthesis was increased at 24 hours and 48 hours following glucan treatment of normal human dermal fibroblasts. Down-regulation of NF-1 by pentifylline inhibited glucan-induced procollagen mRNA expression. These data indicate that glucan can directly stimulate human fibroblast collagen biosynthesis through an NF-1-dependent mechanism.

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Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the most prevalent cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Macrophage-mediated inflammation plays a critical role in NASH pathogenesis; however, optimum therapies for macrophage activation and NASH remain elusive. HSPA12A encodes a novel member of the HSP70 family. Here, we report that NASH patients showed increased hepatic HSPA12A expression and serum HSPA12A contents. Intriguingly, knockout of HSPA12A (Hspa12a -/- ) in mice attenuated high-fat diet (HFD)–induced hepatic steatosis and injury. HFD-induced macrophage polarization toward an M1 phenotype and inflammatory responses in the liver of Hspa12a -/- mice were also attenuated. Loss- and gain-of-function studies revealed that the de novo lipogenesis in hepatocytes was regulated by the paracrine effects of macrophage HSPA12A rather than by hepatocyte HSPA12A. In-depth molecular analysis revealed that HSPA12A interacted with the M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2) in macrophages and increased its nuclear translocation, thereby promoting M1 polarization and secretion of proinflammatory M1 cytokines; this led, ultimately, to hepatocyte steatosis via paracrine effects. Taken together, these findings show that HSPA12A acts as a novel regulator of M1 macrophage polarization and NASH pathogenesis by increasing nuclear PKM2. Strategies that inhibit macrophage HSPA12A might be a potential therapeutic intervention for NASH.

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Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) is a clinically used TLR4 agonist that has been found to drive nonspecific resistance to infection for up to 2 wk. However, the molecular mechanisms conferring protection are not well understood. In this study, we found that MPLA prompts resistance to infection, in part, by inducing a sustained and dynamic metabolic program in macrophages that supports improved pathogen clearance. Mice treated with MPLA had enhanced resistance to infection with Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans that was associated with augmented microbial clearance and organ protection. Tissue macrophages, which exhibited augmented phagocytosis and respiratory burst after MPLA treatment, were required for the beneficial effects of MPLA. Further analysis of the macrophage phenotype revealed that early TLR4-driven aerobic glycolysis was later coupled with mitochondrial biogenesis, enhanced malate shuttling, and increased mitochondrial ATP production. This metabolic program was initiated by overlapping and redundant contributions of MyD88- and TRIF-dependent signaling pathways as well as downstream mTOR activation. Blockade of mTOR signaling inhibited the development of the metabolic and functional macrophage phenotype and ablated MPLA-induced resistance to infection in vivo. Our findings reveal that MPLA drives macrophage metabolic reprogramming that evolves over a period of days to support a macrophage phenotype highly effective at mediating microbe clearance and that this results in nonspecific resistance to infection. The Journal of Immunology, 2018, 200: 3777–3789.

Ligation of Dectin-1 by fungal glucans elicits a Th17 response that is necessary for clearing many fungal pathogens. Laminarin is a (1→3, 1→6)-b-glucan that is widely reported to be a Dectin-1 antagonist, however, there are reports that laminarin is also a Dectin-1 agonist. To address this controversy, we assessed the physical properties, structure, purity, Dectin-1 binding, and biological activity of five different laminarin preparations from three different commercial sources. The proton nuclear magnetic resonance analysis indicated that all of the preparations contained laminarin although their molecular mass varied considerably (4400-34,400 Da). Two of the laminarins contained substantial quantities of very low m.w. compounds, some of which were not laminarin. These low m.w. moieties could be significantly reduced by extensive dialysis. All of the laminarin preparations were bound by recombinant human Dectin-1 and mouse Dectin-1, but the affinity varied considerably, and binding affinity did not correlate with Dectin-1 agonism, antagonism, or potency. In both human and mouse cells, two laminarins were Dectin-1 antagonists and two were Dectin-1 agonists. The remaining laminarin was a Dectin-1 antagonist, but when the low m.w. moieties were removed, it became an agonist. We were able to identify a laminarin that is a Dectin-1 agonist and a laminarin that is Dectin-1 antagonist, both of which are relatively pure preparations. These laminarins may be useful in elucidating the structure and activity relationships of glucan/Dectin-1 interactions. Our data demonstrate that laminarin can be either a Dectin-1 antagonist or agonist, depending on the physicochemical properties, purity, and structure of the laminarin preparation employed.