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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that is characterised by susceptibility to bacterial infections and chronic lung inflammation. Recently, it was suggested that macrophages contribute to impaired host defence and excessive inflammatory responses in CF. Indeed, dysfunction attributed to CF macrophages includes decreased bacterial killing and exaggerated inflammatory responses. However, the mechanisms behind such defects have only been partially defined. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key regulators of several macrophage functions, including their activation, differentiation and polarisation. The goal of this study was to investigate whether miRNA dysregulation underlies the functional abnormalities of CF macrophages. MiRNA profiling of macrophages was performed, with 22 miRNAs identified as differentially expressed between CF and non-CF individuals. Among these, miR-146a was associated with significant enrichment of validated target genes involved in responses to microorganisms and inflammation. As miR-146a dysregulation has been reported in several human inflammatory diseases, we analysed the impact of increased miR-146a expression on inflammatory responses of CF macrophages. These data show that inhibition of miR-146a in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated CF macrophages results in increased interleukin-6 production, which suggests that miR-146a overexpression in CF is functional, to restrict inflammatory responses.

Whereas many phagocytosis steps involve ionic fluxes, the underlying ion channels remain poorly defined. As reported in mice, the calcium conducting TRPV2 channel impacts the phagocytic process. Macrophage phagocytosis is critical for defense against pathogens. In cystic fibrosis (CF), macrophages have lost their capacity to act as suppressor cells and thus play a significant role in the initiating stages leading to chronic inflammation/infection. In a previous study, we demonstrated that impaired function of CF macrophages is due to a deficient phagocytosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate TRPV2 role in the phagocytosis capacity of healthy primary human macrophage by studying its activity, its membrane localization and its recruitment in lipid rafts. In primary human macrophages, we showed that P. aeruginosa recruits TRPV2 channels at the cell surface and induced a calcium influx required for bacterial phagocytosis. We presently demonstrate that to be functional and play a role in phagocytosis, TRPV2 might require a preferential localization in lipid rafts. Furthermore, CF macrophage displays a perturbed calcium homeostasis due to a defect in TRPV2. In this context, deregulated TRPV2-signaling in CF macrophages could explain their defective phagocytosis capacity that contribute to the maintenance of chronic infection.

The underlying cause of morbidity in cystic fibrosis (CF) is the decline in lung function, which results in part from chronic inflammation. Inflammation and infection occur early in infancy in CF and the role of innate immune defense in CF has been highlighted in the last years. Once thought simply to be consumers of bacteria, macrophages have emerged as highly sensitive immune cells that are located at the balance point between inflammation and resolution of this inflammation in CF pathophysiology. In order to assess the potential role of macrophage in CF, we review the evidence that: (1) CF macrophage has a dysregulated inflammatory phenotype; (2) CF macrophage presents altered phagocytosis capacity and bacterial killing; and (3) lipid disorders in CF macrophage affect its function. These alterations of macrophage weaken innate defense of CF patients and may be involved in CF disease progression and lung damage., (Copyright © 2016 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective Oxidative stress, excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and intense colonization of the respiratory tract by microorganisms are described in CF patients, leading to an influx in macrophages. This results in activation of NADPH oxidase that yields ROS, initiating the oxidative burst responsible for pathogen destruction. We showed that phagocytosis was altered in CF macrophages, yet oxidative status in this cell was not defined. The objective of this study is to draw a link between oxidative stress and plasma membrane integrity in CF macrophages, since lipid peroxidation is known to alter cell membrane. Methods Peripheral blood monocytes-derived macrophages were obtained from CF patients and healthy subjects. Plasma membrane fluidity was assessed with di4-ANEPPDHQ and oxidative status was measured with ROS indicating probes. Results In CF macrophages, membrane fluidity was increased whereas lipid peroxidation was diminished. Surprisingly, general oxidative status remained similar to the one observed in non-CF macrophages. Also, CF macrophages did not abolish chemically induced-oxidative stress. In non-CF macrophages, treatment with cholesterol slightly increased membrane fluidity whereas LPS treatment had no effect. Conclusion CF macrophages displayed an increased membrane fluidity associated with a decreased lipid peroxidation. This raises the hypothesis that membrane alteration in CF macrophages may be due to other mechanism than oxidative stress. Nevertheless, since the killing capacity of CF macrophage is defective, a deregulation of O •− 2 production is very likely, suggesting alteration of NADPH oxidase or mitochondrial dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Macrophages may play a significant role in the initiating stages leading to chronic inflammation/infection in cystic fibrosis (CF), via an inability to act as a suppressor cell. In a previous study demonstrating impaired function of CF macrophage, we have shown high production of soluble CD14 (sCD14). The aim of the present work is to determine origin and function of sCD14 in blood monocyte-derived macrophages from stable adult CF patients. Methods To study origin, sCD14 is measured by ELISA in supernatant of macrophages from healthy subjects (non-CF) treated with PI-PLC or cholesterol. The involvement of sCD14 in inflammation, was investigated by analysis of NF-kB and caspase 1 pathways in non-CF macrophages treated by sCD14. Measurement of gene expression was done by qPCR and proteins were quantified by ELISA and Western blot. Results Treatment with PI-PLC increased sCD14 level in the supernatant of non-CF macrophages whereas cholesterol did not modified it. Furthermore high secretion of sCD14 from CF macrophages was decreased by an inhibitor of PI-PLC. Treatment with sCD14 increased pro-IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α expression resulting from NF-kB activation through IkBa phosphorylation, this effect was inhibited by NF-kB inhibitors. Also, activation of caspase 1 by cleavage of pro-caspase 1 allowed the secretion of mature IL-1β, inhibited by an inhibitor of caspase 1. However, inflammasome complex involved in caspase 1 activation remains to be determined. Conclusion This data show that origin of sCD14 is partly due to the action of lipases cutting the GPI tail that serves as a membrane anchor to CD14. Furthermore sCD14 have a role in chronic inflammation in CF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]