SPIONs enhances IL-10-producing macrophages to relieve sepsis via Cav1-Notch1/HES1-mediated autophagy

• Main Authors: Xu Y, Li Y, Liu X, Pan Y, Sun Z, Xue Y, Wang T, Dou H, Hou Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2019-08-01
• Series: International Journal of Nanomedicine
• Subjects: SPIONs; autophagy; IL-10; liver injury; sepsis
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/spions-enhances-il-10-producing-macrophages-to-relieve-sepsis-via-cav1-peer-reviewed-article-IJN

Yujun Xu,1 Yi Li,1 Xinghan Liu,1 Yuchen Pan,1 Zhiheng Sun,1 Yaxian Xue,1 Tingting Wang,1,2 Huan Dou,1,2 Yayi Hou1,21The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China; 2Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Huan Dou, Yayi HouThe State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [e-mail] [e-mail]: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by dysregulated host responses to infection. Macrophages, which recognize microbial infections through identification of bacterial markers such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), are crucial to the pathogenesis of sepsis-associated liver injury. However, the understanding of the SPIONs-mediated modulation of macrophage responses in LPS-induced sepsis and liver injury is limited.Materials and methods: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were prepared, and their morphology and magnetic properties were characterized.Results: Using a murine model of LPS-induced sepsis and liver injury, we found that SPIONs alleviated LPS-induced sepsis, preventing infiltration of inflammatory cells into the liver. SPIONs also increased the level of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in liver macrophages, while SPIONs’s effect on LPS-induced sepsis was abrogated in IL-10-/-, mice, indicating that the protective effect of SPIONs is dependent on IL-10+, macrophages. Moreover, SPIONs activated macrophage autophagy to increase IL-10 production, which was markedly attenuated by autophagy inhibition. Furthermore, SPIONs upregulated the expression of Caveolin-1 (Cav1) in macrophages, which plays a role in cellular uptake of metallic nanoparticles. Interestingly, activation of Cav1 and Notch1/HES1 signaling was involved in SPIONs-induced autophagy in both RAW 264.7 cells and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). Our data reveal a novel mechanism for SPIONs -induced autophagy in macrophages, which occurs through activation of the Cav1-Notch1/HES1 signaling pathway, which promotes the production of IL-10 in macrophages, leading to inhibition of inflammation in LPS-induced sepsis and liver injury.Conclusion: Our results suggest that SPIONs may represent a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of sepsis and sepsis-induced liver injury.Keywords: SPIONs, autophagy, IL-10, liver injury, sepsis