Rewiring cellular metabolism via the AKT/mTOR pathway contributes to host defence against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in human and murine cells

• Published in: European journal of immunology 2016-11, Vol.46 (11), p.2574-2586
• Main Authors: Lachmandas, Ekta, Beigier‐Bompadre, Macarena, Cheng, Shih‐Chin, Kumar, Vinod, Laarhoven, Arjan, Wang, Xinhui, Ammerdorffer, Anne, Boutens, Lily, Jong, Dirk, Kanneganti, Thirumala‐Devi, Gresnigt, Mark S., Ottenhoff, Tom H.M., Joosten, Leo A.B., Stienstra, Rinke, Wijmenga, Cisca, Kaufmann, Stefan H.E., Crevel, Reinout, Netea, Mihai G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Basic; Gene Expression Profiling; Glucose - metabolism; Glycolysis; Glycolysis - genetics; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Immunity to infection; Immunometabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - microbiology; Metabolism; Metabolites; Mice; mTOR; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - immunology; Oxidative Phosphorylation; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Sirolimus - pharmacology; TLR2; Toll-Like Receptor 2 - immunology; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases - genetics; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases - immunology; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis - immunology; Tuberculosis - metabolism; Tuberculosis - microbiology
• ISSN: 0014-2980; 1521-4141
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.201546259

Cells in homeostasis metabolize glucose mainly through the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, while activated cells switch their basal metabolism to aerobic glycolysis. In this study, we examined whether metabolic reprogramming toward aerobic glycolysis is important for the host response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Through transcriptional and metabolite analysis we show that Mtb induces a switch in host cellular metabolism toward aerobic glycolysis in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The metabolic switch is TLR2 dependent but NOD2 independent, and is mediated in part through activation of the AKT‐mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway. We show that pharmacological inhibition of the AKT/mTOR pathway inhibits cellular responses to Mtb both in vitro in human PBMCs, and in vivo in a model of murine tuberculosis. Our findings reveal a novel regulatory layer of host responses to Mtb that will aid understanding of host susceptibility to Mtb, and which may be exploited for host‐directed therapy. Recognition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis via TLR‐2 drives activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/AKT signaling cascade. This contributes to the upregulation of glycolysis and the metabolic changes needed to fuel energy demands and drive transcriptional changes that account for functional outputs like cytokine production.