BioProject

The debilitating autoimmune disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is closely associated with Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and type I interferon (IFN) activity in humans and in murine SLE-like disease. More...

The debilitating autoimmune disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is closely associated with Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and type I interferon (IFN) activity in humans and in murine SLE-like disease. Two central manifestations of SLE affect the myeloid lineage of the immune system, myeloid expansion and anemia. Yet, whether these symptoms are linked and the role of TLR7 and/or type I IFN in these processes is unclear. Here we show that TLR7 signaling promotes cell-autonomous, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)- and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent macrophage development from the common myeloid progenitor (CMP). Strikingly, this TLR7-driven macrophage development requires and is enhanced by type I IFN. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling and functional studies demonstrated that TLR7 promoted the expression of Spic, the master regulator of splenic red pulp macrophages (RPM) and preferential development of hemophagocytic RPM-like cells from CMP in vitro. We found increased incidence of RPM-like cells in vivo in a mouse model of SLE caused by TLR7 overexpression, which correlated with decreased red blood cell (RBC) count and anemia. These findings demonstrate a mechanism by which TLR7 signaling promotes anemia that is of clinical significance in SLE, other rheumatological diseases and chronic viral infections. This work also identifies a previously unknown molecular pathway by which TLR signaling and type I IFN synergize to promote myeloid development from hematopoietic progenitors. Overall design: CMP were sorted from the bone marrow of wild-type C57BL/6 mice, cultured with SCF+R848 or SCFr+MCSF, and CD11b+F4/80+ macrophages sorted after 5 days, n=3 per group Less...