TGF-β Signalling Regulates Cytokine Production in Inflammatory Cardiac Macrophages during Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis

Myocarditis is characterized by an influx of inflammatory cells, predominantly of myeloid lineage. The progression of myocarditis to a dilated cardiomyopathy is markedly influenced by TGF-beta signalling. Here, we investigate the role of TGF-beta signalling in inflammatory cardiac macrophages in the development of myocarditis and post-inflammatory fibrosis. Experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) was induced in the LysM-Cre x R26-stop-EYFP x Tgfbr2-fl/fl transgenic mice showing impaired TGF-beta signalling in the myeloid lineage and the LysM-Cre x R26-stop-EYFP control mice. In EAM, immunization led to acute myocarditis on day 21, followed by cardiac fibrosis on day 40. Both strains showed a similar severity of myocarditis and the extent of cardiac fibrosis. On day 21 of EAM, an increase in cardiac inflammatory macrophages was observed in both strains. These cells were sorted and analysed for differential gene expression using whole-genome transcriptomics. The analysis revealed activation and regulation of the inflammatory response, particularly the production of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and cytokine receptors as TGF-beta-dependent processes. The analysis of selected cytokines produced by bone marrow-derived macrophages confirmed their suppressed secretion. In conclusion, our findings highlight the regulatory role of TGF-beta signalling in cytokine production within inflammatory cardiac macrophages during myocarditis.