Opposing regulation of the late phase TNF response by mTORC1-IL-10 signaling and hypoxia in human macrophages

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is best known for inducing a rapid but transient NF-κB-mediated inflammatory response. We investigated later phases of TNF signaling, after the initial transient induction of inflammatory genes has subsided, in primary human macrophages. TNF signaling induced expression of late response genes, including inhibitors of NF-κB and TLR signaling, with delayed and sustained kinetics 6–24 hr after TNF stimulation. A subset of late phase genes was expressed in rheumatoid arthritis synovial macrophages, confirming their expression under chronic inflammatory conditions in vivo. Expression of a subset of late phase genes was mediated by autocrine IL-10, which activated STAT3 with delayed kinetics. Hypoxia, which occurs at sites of infection or inflammation where TNF is expressed, suppressed this IL-10-STAT3 autocrine loop and expression of late phase genes. TNF-induced expression of IL-10 and downstream genes was also dependent on signaling by mTORC1, which senses the metabolic state of cells and is modulated by hypoxia. These results reveal an mTORC1-dependent IL-10-mediated late phase response to TNF by primary human macrophages, and identify suppression of IL-10 responses as a new mechanism by which hypoxia can promote inflammation. Thus, hypoxic and metabolic pathways may modulate TNF responses during chronic inflammation.