Biology subjects

Patterson, M. T.

Publications and source records attributed to Patterson, M. T..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Adrenal Gland Macrophage-derived TGF-β Governs Vascular Permeability to Drive Monocyte Recruitment during Stress

The adrenal glands are central regulators of systemic stress responses through tightly controlled glucocorticoid production. Yet, the contribution of local immune-vascular interactions to adrenal stress adaptation remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of adrenal gland macrophages in coordinating stress-induced immune remodeling and vascular function. By integrating single-cell RNA sequencing datasets across four distinct stress models, including acute cold exposure, chronic social defeat, chronic inflammation, and systemic Candida albicans infection, we identified a conserved increase in monocyte recruitment to the adrenal gland, accompanied by dynamic macrophage transitions. Comparative transcriptomic and ligand-receptor analyses identified transforming growth factor-{beta} (TGF{beta}) as a dominant macrophage-derived signal targeting adrenal endothelial cells across all stress conditions. Pharmacological blockade of TGF{beta} receptor signaling reduced endothelial activation, vascular permeability, and monocyte infiltration into the adrenal gland following stress, without directly altering resident macrophage numbers. Using genetic fate-mapping and conditional knockout models, we demonstrate that macrophage-derived, but not endothelial-derived, TGF{beta} is required to promote enhanced endothelial adhesion molecule expression, vascular fenestration, permeability, and efficient monocyte recruitment. Loss of macrophage TGF{beta} production also led to exacerbated systemic stress hormone levels. Together, these findings uncover a previously unrecognized macrophage-endothelial axis in the adrenal gland, whereby macrophage-derived TGF{beta} regulates vascular properties to support immune cell recruitment and stress adaptation. This immune-vascular crosstalk provides new mechanistic insights into adrenal homeostasis and suggests potential therapeutic avenues for disorders associated with dysregulated chronic stress.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2023

Trem2 Agonist Reprograms Foamy Macrophages to Promote Atherosclerotic Plaque Stability

ObjectiveTrem2, a surface lipid receptor, is expressed on foamy macrophages within atherosclerotic lesions and regulates cell survival, proliferation, and anti-inflammatory responses. Studies examining the role of Trem2 in atherosclerosis have shown that deletion of Trem2 leads to impaired foamy macrophage lipid uptake, proliferation, survival, and cholesterol efflux. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that administration of a validated Trem2 agonist antibody (AL002a) to atherogenic mice could drive macrophage survival and decrease necrotic core formation to improve plaque stability. Approach and ResultsTo model a therapeutic intervention approach, atherosclerosis-prone mice (Ldlr-/-) were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks, then transitioned to treatment with AL002a or isotype control for an additional 8 weeks while continuing on an HFD. AL002a-treated mice had increased lesion size in both the aortic sinus and whole mount aorta, which correlated with an expansion of plaque macrophage area. This expansion was due to increased macrophage survival and proliferation in plaques. Importantly, plaques from AL002a-treated mice showed improved features of plaque stability, including smaller necrotic cores, increased fibrous caps, and greater collagen deposition. Single cell RNA sequencing of whole aorta suspensions from isotype and AL002a-treated atherosclerotic mice revealed that Trem2 agonism dramatically altered foamy macrophage transcriptome. This included upregulation of oxidative phosphorylation and increased expression of collagen genes. In vitro studies validated that Trem2-agonism with AL002a promoted foamy macrophage oxLDL uptake, survival, and cholesterol efflux in culture. ConclusionsTrem2 agonist expands plaque macrophages by promoting cell survival and proliferation but improves features of plaque stability by rewiring foamy macrophage function to enhance collagen deposition.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Trem2 Promotes Foamy Macrophage Lipid Uptake and Survival in Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerotic plaque formation is driven by the continued expansion of cholesterol loaded foamy macrophages within the arterial intima. Foamy macrophages are primarily derived from newly recruited monocytes, but factors regulating monocyte specification toward foamy macrophage differentiation and prolonged survival in plaque remain poorly understood. We used trajectory analysis of integrated single cell RNA-seq data, along with a genome-wide CRISPR screening approach to identify Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (Trem2) as a candidate regulator for foamy macrophage specification. Loss of Trem2 led to a reduced ability of foamy macrophages to take up additional oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in vitro. Competitive chimera experiments showed that Trem2-deficient macrophages were less competent to form foamy macrophages when competed against Trem2-sufficient macrophages in vivo. In addition, myeloid specific conditional deletion of Trem2 resulted in a dramatic attenuation of plaque progression, even when targeted in established atherosclerotic lesions. This was independent of changes in circulating inflammatory cytokines, monocyte recruitment, or serum cholesterol levels, but due to a reduction in plaque macrophage proliferation and enhanced cell death. Mechanistically, we link Trem2-deficient macrophages with an inability for cells to sense cholesterol loading and failure to upregulate efflux molecules. Accumulation of cholesterol in the endoplasmic reticulum enhanced activation of the ER-stress response that increased susceptibility for cholesterol-toxicity and cell death in foamy Trem2-deficient macrophages. Overall, this study identifies Trem2 as a regulator of foamy macrophage differentiation, atherosclerotic plaque growth, and as a putative therapeutic target for future intervention studies.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Tumor-specific CD4 T cells instruct monocyte differentiation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a lethal malignancy resistant to immunotherapy. The pancreatic tumor microenvironment is shaped and maintained by myeloid cells that outnumber tumor cells. Here, using monocyte fate-mapping PDA mouse models and human tumor tissues, we identify monocytes give rise to most heterogeneous macrophage subpopulations in PDA. We show that monocyte differentiation is governed by the local presence of CD4, but not CD8, T cells. We demonstrate that tumor specific CD4 T cells induce monocyte differentiation into antitumor MHCIIhi proinflammatory macrophages dependent on non-redundant IFN{gamma} and CD40 signaling pathways that suppress tumor growth. Pancreatic tissue-resident macrophages exhibit an immunosuppressive pro-tumor state that is refractory to the modulatory effects of antitumor CD4 T cells. Intratumoral monocytes adopt a pro-tumor fate indistinguishable from tissue-resident macrophages following CD4 T cell depletion. Thus, tumor-specific CD4 T cell governance of monocyte fate promotes immune-mediated control of solid tumors. Highlights{blacksquare} Circulating monocytes are progenitors to most heterogeneous macrophage subsets in PDA {blacksquare}Monocyte-derived macrophage acquisition of an MHCIIhi phenotype is dependent on tumor-specific CD4 T cells {blacksquare}In the absence of CD4 T cells, monocyte-derived macrophages acquire tissue resident macrophage traits and tumors rapidly progress {blacksquare}IFN{gamma} and CD40 signaling are nonredundant and critical determinants of intratumoral monocyte fate

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4) regulates cardiac oxylipin balance to promote inflammation resolution in a model of heart failure preserved ejection fraction secondary to metabolic syndrome

Free fatty acid receptor 4 (Ffar4) is a G-protein coupled receptor for long-chain fatty acids that improves metabolism and attenuates inflammation. Heart failure preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a complex clinical syndrome, but a predominant subset of patients has meta-bolic syndrome (MetS). Mechanistically, systemic, non-resolving inflammation associated with MetS might promote HFpEF. Interestingly, we recently demonstrated that Ffar4 is cardioprotective in pressure overload. The beneficial effects of Ffar4 on metabolism/inflammation, the high incidence of MetS in HFpEF patients, and the cardioprotective effects of Ffar4 led us to hypothesize that loss of Ffar4 would worsen remodeling in HFpEF secondary to MetS (HFpEF-MetS). To test this, mice with systemic deletion of Ffar4 (Ffar4KO) were fed a high-fat/high-sucrose diet with L-NAME in their water (HFpEF-MetS diet) to induce HFpEF-MetS. In male Ffar4KO mice, the HFpEF-MetS diet induced similar metabolic deficits, but worsened diastolic function and microvascular rarefaction compared to wild-type mice. Conversely, in female Ffar4KO mice, the diet produced greater obesity but no worsening of HFpEF. Loss of Ffar4 in males altered the balance of inflammatory oxylipins in the heart, decreasing the eicosapentaenoic acid derived, pro-resolving oxylipin 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (18-HEPE), while increasing the arachadonic acid derived, proinflammatory oxylipin 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE). This increased 12-HETE/18-HEPE ratio, reflecting a more proinflammatory state, was associated with increased macrophage numbers, which in turn correlated with worsened ventricular remodeling in male Ffar4KO hearts. In summary, our data suggest that Ffar4 controls the pro/anti-inflammatory oxylipin balance in the heart to modulate macrophage function and attenuate HFpEF remodeling.

physiology↗