Metabolic adaptation to glycolysis is a basic defense mechanism of macrophages for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Macrophages are major components of tuberculosis (TB) granulomas and are responsible for host defenses against the intracellular pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We herein showed the strong expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in TB granulomas and more rapid death of HIF-1α-conditional knockout mice than wild-type (WT) mice after M. tuberculosis infection. Although interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a critical host-protective cytokine against intracellular pathogens, HIF-1-deficient macrophages permitted M. tuberculosis growth even after activation with IFN-γ. These results prompted us to investigate the role of HIF-1α in host defenses against infection. We found that the expression of lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDH-A) was controlled by HIF-1α in M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages IFN-γ independently. LDH-A is an enzyme that converts pyruvate to lactate and we found that the intracellular level of pyruvate in HIF-1α-deficient bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) was significantly higher than in WT BMDMs. Intracellular bacillus replication was enhanced by an increase in intracellular pyruvate concentrations, which were decreased by LDH-A. Mycobacteria in phagosomes took up exogenous pyruvate more efficiently than glucose, and used it as the feasible carbon source for intracellular growth. These results demonstrate that HIF-1α prevents the hijacking of pyruvate in macrophages, making it a fundamental host-protective mechanism against M. tuberculosis.