Myeloid PPAR-γ suppresses acute host diseases and inhibits chronic fibrosis development following influenza infection

Abstract

Abstract Influenza virus is the leading cause of respiratory infection. In addition to its induction of acute pulmonary diseases, severe influenza infection can lead to the development of chronic lung conditions including pulmonary fibrosis. Currently, the underlying mechanisms regulating the development of influenza sequelae in the respiratory tract are poorly defined. We found that PPAR-γ expression in macrophages is differentially regulated during low pathogenic (sublethal) or highly pathogenic (lethal) influenza infection. Myeloid deletion of PPAR-γ resulted in increased host mortality and morbidity following influenza infection. In the acute phase, myeloid PPAR-γ deficient mice exhibit enhanced macrophage cytokine production, diminished T cell immunity (day 10), delayed viral clearance and impaired lung repair responses following influenza infection. Strikingly, myeloid PPAR-γ deficiency also triggered the development chronic pulmonary fibrosis following influenza infection. We demonstrated that myeloid PPAR-γ deficiency caused scar formation, collagen deposition and fibrotic gene expression in the lungs at 60 days post infection. Mechanistically, myeloid PPAR-γ expression is required for the regeneration of tissue resident alveolar macrophages following influenza clearance, and the depletion of alveolar macrophages at the recovery stage resulted in impaired lung repair and chronic collagen deposition. Thus, our data has revealed that myeloid PPAR-γ expression is critical for the suppression of both acute and chronic pathogenesis of influenza, and suggested that the promotion of PPAR-γ activation may be employed to treat both acute influenza-associated diseases and to prevent chronic fibrosis development.