G-CSF improves murine G6PC3-deficient neutrophil function by modulating apoptosis and energy homeostasis

Blood. 2011 Apr 7;117(14):3881-92. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-08-302059. Epub 2011 Feb 3.

Abstract

G6PC3 (or glucose-6-phosphatase-β) deficiency underlies a congenital neutropenia syndrome in which neutrophils exhibit enhanced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, increased apoptosis, impaired energy homeostasis, and impaired functionality. Here we show that murine G6pc3(-/-) neutrophils undergoing ER stress activate protein kinase-like ER kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate/Akt signaling pathways, and that neutrophil apoptosis is mediated in part by the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. In G6PC3-deficient patients, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) improves neutropenia, but its impact on neutrophil apoptosis and dysfunction is unknown. We now show that G-CSF delays neutrophil apoptosis in vitro by modulating apoptotic mediators. However, G6pc3(-/-) neutrophils in culture exhibit accelerated apoptosis compared with wild-type neutrophils both in the presence or absence of G-CSF. Limiting glucose (0.6mM) accelerates apoptosis but is more pronounced for wild-type neutrophils, leading to similar survival profiles for both neutrophil populations. In vivo G-CSF therapy completely corrects neutropenia and normalizes levels of p-Akt, phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate, and active caspase-3. Neutrophils from in vivo G-CSF-treated G6pc3(-/-) mice exhibit increased glucose uptake and elevated intracellular levels of G6P, lactate, and adenosine-5'-triphosphate, leading to improved functionality. Together, the results strongly suggest that G-CSF improves G6pc3(-/-) neutrophil survival by modulating apoptotic mediators and rectifies function by enhancing energy homeostasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Energy Metabolism / drug effects*
  • Energy Metabolism / genetics
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase / genetics*
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase / physiology
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology*
  • Homeostasis / drug effects
  • Homeostasis / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neutrophils / drug effects*
  • Neutrophils / metabolism
  • Neutrophils / physiology
  • Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates / metabolism
  • Protein Subunits
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / physiology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • eIF-2 Kinase / metabolism
  • eIF-2 Kinase / physiology

Substances

  • Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates
  • Protein Subunits
  • phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • PERK kinase
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • eIF-2 Kinase
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase
  • glucose-6-phosphatase-beta, mouse