Paradoxical role of alveolar macrophage-derived granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in pulmonary host defense post-bone marrow transplantation

Abstract

Impaired host defense post-bone marrow transplant (BMT) is related to overproduction of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) by alveolar macrophages (AMs). We show AMs post-BMT overproduce granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), whereas GM-CSF in lung homogenates is impaired both at baseline and in response to infection post-BMT. Homeostatic regulation of GM-CSF may occur by hematopoietic/structural cell cross talk. To determine whether AM overproduction of GM-CSF influenced immunosuppression post-BMT, we compared mice that received BMT from wild-type donors (control BMT) or mice that received BMT from GM-CSF−/− donors (GM-CSF−/− BMT) with untransplanted mice. GM-CSF−/− BMT mice were less susceptible to pneumonia with Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared with control BMT mice and showed antibacterial responses equal to or better than untransplanted mice. GM-CSF−/− BMT AMs displayed normal phagocytosis and a trend toward enhanced bacterial killing. Surprisingly, AMs from GM-CSF−/− BMT mice overproduced PGE2, but expression of the inhibitory EP2receptor was diminished. As a consequence of decreased EP2receptor expression, we found diminished accumulation of cAMP in response to PGE2stimulation in GM-CSF−/− BMT AMs compared with control BMT AMs. In addition, GM-CSF−/− BMT AMs retained cysteinyl leukotriene production and normal TNF-α response compared with AMs from control BMT mice. GM-CSF−/− BMT neutrophils also showed improved bacterial killing. Although genetic ablation of GM-CSF in hematopoietic cells post-BMT improved host defense, transplantation of wild-type bone marrow into GM-CSF−/− recipients demonstrated that parenchymal cell-derived GM-CSF is necessary for effective innate immune responses post-BMT. These results highlight the complex regulation of GM-CSF and innate immunity post-BMT.