Cyclin J–CDK complexes limit innate immune responses by reducing proinflammatory changes in macrophage metabolism

Abstract

Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation induces glycolysis and the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), both of which are critical for inflammatory responses in macrophages. Here, we demonstrated that cyclin J, a TLR-inducible member of the cyclin family, reduced cytokine production in macrophages by coordinately controlling glycolysis and mitochondrial functions. Cyclin J interacted with cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), which increased the phosphorylation of a subset of CDK substrates, including the transcription factor FoxK1 and the GTPase Drp1. Cyclin J–dependent phosphorylation of FoxK1 decreased the transcription of glycolytic genes and Hif-1α activation, whereas hyperactivation of Drp1 by cyclin J–dependent phosphorylation promoted mitochondrial fragmentation and impaired the production of mitochondrial ROS. In mice, cyclin J in macrophages limited the growth of tumor xenografts and protected against LPS-induced shock but increased the susceptibility to bacterial infection. Collectively, our findings indicate that cyclin J–CDK signaling promotes antitumor immunity and the resolution of inflammation by opposing the metabolic changes that drive inflammatory responses in macrophages.