Fragile TIM-4-expressing tissue resident macrophages are migratory and immunoregulatory

J Clin Invest. 2014 Aug;124(8):3443-54. doi: 10.1172/JCI73527. Epub 2014 Jul 1.

Abstract

Macrophages characterized as M2 and M2-like regulate immune responses associated with immune suppression and healing; however, the relationship of this macrophage subset to CD169+ tissue-resident macrophages and their contribution to shaping alloimmune responses is unknown. Here we identified a population of M2-like tissue-resident macrophages that express high levels of the phosphatidylserine receptor TIM-4 and CD169 (TIM-4hiCD169+). Labeling and tracking of TIM-4hiCD169+ macrophages in mice revealed that this population is a major subset of tissue-resident macrophages, homes to draining LNs following oxidative stress, exhibits an immunoregulatory and hypostimulatory phenotype that is maintained after migration to secondary lymphoid organs, favors preferential induction of antigen-stimulated Tregs, and is highly susceptible to apoptosis. Moreover, CD169+ tissue-resident macrophages were resistant to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in mice lacking TIM-4. Compared with heart allografts from WT mice, Tim4-/- heart allografts survived much longer and were more easily tolerized by non-immunosuppressed recipients. Furthermore, Tim4-/- allograft survival was associated with the infiltration of Tregs into the graft. Together, our data provide evidence that M2-like TIM-4hiCD169+ tissue-resident macrophages are immunoregulatory and promote engraftment of cardiac allografts, but their influence is diminished by TIM-4-dependent programmed cell death.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allografts
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Graft Survival
  • Heart Transplantation
  • Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed
  • Macrophages / cytology
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / physiology*
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / deficiency
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 1 / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / physiology
  • Transplantation Tolerance

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 1
  • Siglec1 protein, mouse
  • TIM-4 protein, mouse