Notch-RBP-J Signaling Regulates IRF8 to Promote Inflammatory Macrophage Polarization

Emerging concepts suggest that macrophage functional phenotype is regulated by transcription factors that define alternative activation states. We found that RBP-J, the major nuclear transducer of Notch signaling, augmented TLR4-induced expression of key mediators of classically activated M1 macrophages and thus innate immune responses to L. monocytogenes. Notch-RBP-J signaling controlled expression of the transcription factor IRF8 that induced downstream M1-specific genes. RBP-J promoted IRF8 protein synthesis by selectively augmenting IRAK2-dependent TLR4 signaling to the MNK1 kinase and downstream translation initiation control through eIF4E. These results define a signaling network in which Notch-RBP-J and TLR signaling are integrated at the level of IRF8 protein synthesis and identify a mechanism by which heterologous signaling pathways can regulate TLR-induced inflammatory macrophage polarization.