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WNT6/ACC2-induced storage of triacylglycerols in macrophages is exploited by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT: In view of emerging drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), host-directed adjunct therapies are urgently needed to improve treatment outcomes with currently available anti-TB therapies. One approach is to interfere with the formation of lipid-laden "foamy" macrophages in the host, as they provide a nutrient-rich host cell environment for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Here, we provide evidence that Wnt family member 6 (WNT6), a ligand of the evolutionarily conserved Wingless/Integrase 1 (WNT) signaling pathway, promotes foam cell formation by regulating key lipid metabolic genes including acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 (ACC2) during pulmonary TB. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we demonstrated that lack of functional WNT6 or ACC2 significantly reduced intracellular triacylglycerol (TAG) levels and Mtb survival in macrophages. Moreover, treatment of Mtb-infected mice with a combination of a pharmacological ACC2 inhibitor and the anti-TB drug isoniazid (INH) reduced lung TAG and cytokine levels, as well as lung weights, compared with treatment with INH alone. This combination also reduced Mtb bacterial numbers and the size of mononuclear cell infiltrates in livers of infected mice. In summary, our findings demonstrate that Mtb exploits WNT6/ACC2-induced storage of TAGs in macrophages to facilitate its intracellular survival, a finding that opens new perspectives for host-directed adjunctive treatment of pulmonary TB.

SUBMITTER: Brandenburg J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8363280 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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WNT6/ACC2-induced storage of triacylglycerols in macrophages is exploited by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Brandenburg Julius J Marwitz Sebastian S Tazoll Simone C SC Waldow Franziska F Kalsdorf Barbara B Vierbuchen Tim T Scholzen Thomas T Gross Annette A Goldenbaum Svenja S Hölscher Alexandra A Hein Martina M Linnemann Lara L Reimann Maja M Kispert Andreas A Leitges Michael M Rupp Jan J Lange Christoph C Niemann Stefan S Behrends Jochen J Goldmann Torsten T Heine Holger H Schaible Ulrich E UE Hölscher Christoph C Schwudke Dominik D Reiling Norbert N

The Journal of clinical investigation 20210801 16

In view of emerging drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), host-directed adjunct therapies are urgently needed to improve treatment outcomes with currently available anti-TB therapies. One approach is to interfere with the formation of lipid-laden "foamy" macrophages in the host, as they provide a nutrient-rich host cell environment for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Here, we provide evidence that Wnt family member 6 (WNT6), a ligand of the evolutionarily conserved Wingless/Integrase 1 (WNT) signa ...[more]

PMID: 34255743

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Project description:BackgroundTuberculosis (TB), a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains a significant health problem worldwide with a third of the world population infected and nearly nine million new cases claiming 1.1 million deaths every year. The outcome following infection by Mtb is determined by a complex and dynamic host-pathogen interaction in which the phenotype of the pathogen and the immune status of the host play a role. However, the molecular mechanism by which Mtb strains induce different responses during intracellular infection of the host macrophage is not fully understood. To explore the early molecular events triggered upon Mtb infection of macrophages, we studied the transcriptional responses of murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) to infection with two clinical Mtb strains, CDC1551 and HN878. These strains have previously been shown to differ in their virulence/immunogenicity in the mouse and rabbit models of pulmonary TB.ResultsIn spite of similar intracellular growth rates, we observed that compared to HN878, infection by CDC1551 of BMM was associated with an increased global transcriptome, up-regulation of a specific early (6 hours) immune response network and significantly elevated nitric oxide production. In contrast, at 24 hours post-infection of BMM by HN878, more host genes involved in lipid metabolism, including cholesterol metabolism and prostaglandin synthesis were up-regulated, compared to infection with CDC1551.In association with the differences in the macrophage responses to infection with the 2 Mtb strains, intracellular CDC1551 expressed higher levels of stress response genes than did HN878.ConclusionsIn association with the early and more robust macrophage activation, intracellular CDC1551 cells were exposed to a higher level of stress leading to increased up-regulation of the bacterial stress response genes. In contrast, sub-optimal activation of macrophages and induction of a dysregulated host cell lipid metabolism favored a less stressful intracellular environment for HN878. Our findings suggest that the ability of CDC1551 and HN878 to differentially activate macrophages during infection probably determines their ability to either resist host cell immunity and progress to active disease or to succumb to the host protective responses and be driven into a non-replicating latent state in rabbit lungs.

Dataset Information

WNT6/ACC2-induced storage of triacylglycerols in macrophages is exploited by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Publications

WNT6/ACC2-induced storage of triacylglycerols in macrophages is exploited by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

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