Frizzled1 is a marker of inflammatory macrophages, and its ligand Wnt3a is involved in reprogramming Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected macrophages

FASEB J. 2010 Nov;24(11):4599-612. doi: 10.1096/fj.10-160994. Epub 2010 Jul 28.

Abstract

Wnt/Frizzled signaling, essential for embryonic development, has also recently been implicated in the modulation of inflammatory processes. In the current study, we observed a reciprocal regulation of the Toll-like receptor (TLR)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway after aerosol infection of mice with Mycobacterium tuberculosis: whereas proinflammatory mediators were substantially increased, β-catenin signaling was significantly reduced. A systematic screen of Fzd homologs in infected mice identified Fzd1 mRNA to be significantly up-regulated during the course of infection. In vitro infection of murine macrophages led to a strong induction of Fzd1 that was dependent on TLRs, the myeloid differentiation response gene 88 (MyD88), and a functional NF-κB pathway. Flow cytometry demonstrated an elevated Fzd1 expression on macrophages in response to M. tuberculosis that was synergistically enhanced in the presence of IFN-γ. Addition of the Fzd1 ligand Wnt3a induced Wnt/β-catenin signaling in murine macrophages that was inhibited in the presence of a soluble Fzd1/Fc fusion protein. Furthermore, Wnt3a reduced TNF release, suggesting that Wnt3a promotes anti-inflammatory functions in murine macrophages. The current data support the notion that evolutionarily conserved Wnt/Fzd signaling is involved in balancing the inflammatory response to microbial stimulation of innate immune cells of vertebrate origin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Frizzled Receptors / genetics
  • Frizzled Receptors / immunology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Ligands
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / microbiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / immunology
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / immunology*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tuberculosis / immunology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factors / immunology
  • Up-Regulation
  • Wnt Proteins / chemistry
  • Wnt Proteins / immunology*
  • Wnt3 Protein
  • Wnt3A Protein

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Frizzled Receptors
  • Fzd1 protein, mouse
  • Ligands
  • NF-kappa B
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Tumor Necrosis Factors
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Wnt3 Protein
  • Wnt3A Protein
  • Wnt3a protein, mouse