Macrophage expression of E3 ubiquitin ligase Grail protects mice from lipopolysaccharide-induced hyperinflammation and organ injury

PLoS One. 2018 Dec 20;13(12):e0208279. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208279. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Multiple organ dysfunction caused by hyperinflammation remains the major cause of mortality during sepsis. Excessive M1-macrophage activation leads to systemic inflammatory responses. Gene related to anergy in lymphocytes (Grail) is regarded as an important regulator of T cells that functions by diminishing cytokine production. However, its role in regulating macrophage activation and organ injury during sepsis remains unclear. Our aim was to examine the effects of Grail on macrophage reactivity and organ injury in endotoxemic animals. Wild-type and Grail knockout mice were injected with vehicle or Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide and observed for 24 h. Changes in blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, and biochemical variables were then examined. Moreover, levels of neutrophil infiltration, MMP-9, and caspase 3 were analyzed in the lungs of animals. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in J774A, RAW264.7, and primary peritoneal macrophages stimulated with LPS were also assessed in the presence or absence of Grail. Results indicated that loss of Grail expression enhances the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines in J774A, RAW264.7, and primary peritoneal macrophages treated with LPS. Furthermore, LPS-induced macrophage hyperactivation was alleviated by ectopic Grail overexpression. In vivo studies showed that Grail deficiency exacerbates organ damage in endotoxemic animals. Levels of neutrophil infiltration, MMP-9, and caspase 3 were significantly increased in the lungs of Grail-deficient endotoxemic mice. Thus, these results suggest that Grail contributes to the attenuation of hyperinflammation caused by activated macrophages and prevents organ damage in endotoxemic mice. We suggest that Grail signaling could be a therapeutic target for endotoxemia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Creatinine / blood
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Endotoxemia / blood
  • Endotoxemia / metabolism
  • Endotoxemia / pathology
  • Gene Deletion
  • Hemodynamics
  • Inflammation / enzymology*
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Inflammation / prevention & control*
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / blood
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Lung / enzymology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / enzymology*
  • Male
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neutrophil Infiltration
  • Organ Specificity*
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Creatinine
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
  • RNF128 protein, mouse
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Caspase 3
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grants MAB-106-030 to CCS and MAB-107-091 to YCC from Ministry of National Defense Medical Affairs Bureau, R.O.C., Taiwan, and MOST 106-2320-B-016-011 to YCC and MOST 106-2320-B-016-008 to CCS from the Ministry of Science and Technology, R.O.C., Taiwan, and the Taichung Armed Force General Hospital of the Republic of China (107B02) to CMH. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.