Differential Regulation of Macrophage Glucose Metabolism by Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor and Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor: Implications for 18F FDG PET Imaging of Vessel Wall Inflammation

Radiology. 2017 Apr;283(1):87-97. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2016160839. Epub 2016 Nov 16.

Abstract

Purpose To determine the divergence of immunometabolic phenotypes of macrophages stimulated with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and granulocyte-M-CSF (GM-CSF) and its implications for fluorine 18 (18F) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging of atherosclerosis. Materials and Methods This study was approved by the animal care committee. Uptake of 2-deoxyglucose and various indexes of oxidative and glycolytic metabolism were evaluated in nonactivated murine peritoneal macrophages (MΦ0) and macrophages stimulated with M-CSF (MΦM-CSF) or GM-CSF (MΦGM-CSF). Intracellular glucose flux was measured by using stable isotope tracing of glycolytic and tricyclic acid intermediary metabolites. 18F-FDG uptake was evaluated in murine atherosclerotic aortas after stimulation with M-CSF or GM-CSF by using quantitative autoradiography. Results Despite inducing distinct activation states, GM-CSF and M-CSF stimulated progressive but similar levels of increased 2-deoxyglucose uptake in macrophages that reached up to sixfold compared with MΦ0. The expression of glucose transporters, oxidative metabolism, and mitochondrial biogenesis were induced to similar levels in MΦM-CSF and MΦGM-CSF. Unexpectedly, there was a 1.7-fold increase in extracellular acidification rate, a 1.4-fold increase in lactate production, and overexpression of several critical glycolytic enzymes in MΦM-CSF compared with MΦGM-CSF with associated increased glucose flux through glycolytic pathway. Quantitative autoradiography demonstrated a 1.6-fold induction of 18F-FDG uptake in murine atherosclerotic plaques by both M-CSF and GM-CSF. Conclusion The proinflammatory and inflammation-resolving activation states of macrophages induced by GM-CSF and M-CSF in either cell culture or atherosclerotic plaques may not be distinguishable by the assessment of glucose uptake. © RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology*
  • Inflammation / diagnostic imaging*
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology*
  • Macrophages / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Glucose