Selective Roles of MAPKs during the Macrophage Response to IFN-γ

Abstract

Macrophages perform essential functions in the infection and resolution of inflammation. IFN-γ is the main endogenous macrophage Th1 type activator. The classical IFN-γ signaling pathway involves activation of Stat-1. However, IFN-γ has also the capability to activate members of the MAPK family. In primary bone marrow-derived macrophages, we have observed strong activation of p38 at early time points of IFN-γ stimulation, whereas weak activation of ERK-1/2 and JNK-1 was detected at a more delayed stage. In parallel, IFN-γ exerted repressive effects on the expression of a number of MAPK phosphatases. By using selective inhibitors and knockout models, we have explored the contributions of MAPK activation to the macrophage response to IFN-γ. Our findings indicate that these kinases regulate IFN-γ-mediated gene expression in a rather selective way: p38 participates mainly in the regulation of the expression of genes required for the innate immune response, including chemokines such as CCL5, CXCL9, and CXCL10; cytokines such as TNF-α; and inducible NO synthase, whereas JNK-1 acts on genes involved in Ag presentation, including CIITA and genes encoding MHC class II molecules. Modest effects were observed for ERK-1/2 in these studies. Interestingly, some of the MAPK-dependent changes in gene expression observed in these studies are based on posttranscriptional regulation of mRNA stability.