ABSTRACT
Splenic leukocytes, particularly macrophage-expressed lipoxygenases, facilitate the biosynthesis of resolution mediators essential for cardiac repair. Next, we asked whether deletion of 12/15 lipoxygenase (12/15LOX) in macrophages impedes the resolution of inflammation following myocardial infarction (MI). Using 12/15flox/flox and LysMcre scheme, we generated macrophage-specific 12/15LOX (Mɸ-12/15LOX-/-) mice. Young C57BL/6J wild-type and Mɸ-12/15LOX-/- male mice were subjected to permanent coronary ligation micro-surgery. Mice were monitored at day (d)1-d5 (as acute HF; AHF) and to d56 (chronic HF; CHF) post-MI, maintaining no-MI as d0 naïve controls. Post-ligation, Mɸ-12/15LOX-/- mice showed increased survival (88%vs56%) and limited heart dysfunction compared with WT. In AHF, Mɸ-12/15LOX-/- mice have increased biosynthesis of epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EETs) by 30%, with the decrease in D-series resolvins, protectin, and maresin by 70% in the infarcted heart. Overall, myeloid cell profiling from the heart and spleen indicated that Mɸ-12/15LOX-/- mice showed higher immune cells with reparative Ly6Clow macrophages during AHF. In addition, the detailed immune profiling revealed reparative macrophage phenotype (Ly6Clow) in Mɸ-12/15LOX-/- mice in a splenocardiac manner post-MI. Mɸ-12/15LOX-/- mice showed an increase in myeloid population that coordinated increase of Tregs (CD4+/Foxp3+) in the spleen and injured heart at CHF compared with WT. Thus, macrophage-specific deletion of 12/15LOX directs reparative macrophage phenotype to facilitate cardiac repair. The presented study outlines the complex role of 12/15LOX in macrophage plasticity, and Treg signaling that indicates resolution mediators are viable targets to facilitate cardiac repair in heart failure post-MI.
Macrophage-derived bioactive lipids promote the safe clearance of inflammation (resolution), thus modulating macrophage-specific 12/15 lipoxygenase restores structure, function, and survival after heart attack in mice.