Mitochondrial metabolism coordinates stage-specific repair processes in macrophages during wound healing

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Sebastian Willenborg - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • David E. Sanin - , Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics (Author)
  • Alexander Jais - , Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Xiaolei Ding - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Thomas Ulas - , University of Bonn, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (Author)
  • Julian Nüchel - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Milica Popović - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Thomas MacVicar - , Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing (Author)
  • Thomas Langer - , Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, University of Cologne (Author)
  • Joachim L. Schultze - , University of Bonn, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (Author)
  • Alexander Gerbaulet - , Institute for Immunology, University Medicine (Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital) (Author)
  • Axel Roers - , Institute for Immunology, University Medicine (Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital) (Author)
  • Edward J. Pearce - , Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, University of Freiburg (Author)
  • Jens C. Brüning - , Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, University of Cologne (Author)
  • Aleksandra Trifunovic - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Sabine A. Eming - , University of Cologne (Author)

Abstract

Wound healing is a coordinated process that initially relies on pro-inflammatory macrophages, followed by a pro-resolution function of these cells. Changes in cellular metabolism likely dictate these distinct activities, but the nature of these changes has been unclear. Here, we profiled early- versus late-stage skin wound macrophages in mice at both the transcriptional and functional levels. We found that glycolytic metabolism in the early phase is not sufficient to ensure productive repair. Instead, by combining conditional disruption of the electron transport chain with deletion of mitochondrial aspartyl-tRNA synthetase, followed by single-cell sequencing analysis, we found that a subpopulation of early-stage wound macrophages are marked by mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) production and HIF1α stabilization, which ultimately drives a pro-angiogenic program essential for timely healing. In contrast, late-phase, pro-resolving wound macrophages are marked by IL-4Rα-mediated mitochondrial respiration and mitohormesis. Collectively, we identify changes in mitochondrial metabolism as a critical control mechanism for macrophage effector functions during wound healing.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2398-2414.e9
JournalCell metabolism
Volume33
Issue number12
Publication statusPublished - 7 Dec 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 34715039

Keywords

Keywords

  • metabolism, mitochondria, mitochondrial repurposing, mitohormesis, monocyte/macrophage, tissue repair, type 2 immunity, wound healing