Glycolytic reprogramming fuels myeloid cell-driven hypercoagulability

Background Myeloid cell metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of inflammatory disease, however, its role in inflammation-induced hypercoagulability is poorly understood.

Objective/Methods Using novel myeloid cell-based global haemostasis assays and murine models of immunometabolic disease, we evaluated the role of inflammation-associated metabolic reprogramming in regulating blood coagulation.

Results Glycolysis was essential for enhanced activated myeloid cell tissue factor expression and decryption, driving increased cell-dependent thrombin generation in response to inflammatory challenge. Similarly, inhibition of glycolysis enhanced activated macrophage fibrinolytic activity via reduced plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1)-activity. Macrophage polarisation or activation markedly increased endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) expression on monocytes and macrophages, leading to increased myeloid cell-dependent protein C activation. Importantly, inflammation-dependent EPCR expression on tissue-resident macrophages was also observed in vivo. Adipose tissue macrophages from obese mice fed a high-fat diet exhibited significantly enhanced EPCR expression and APC generation compared to macrophages isolated from the adipose tissue of healthy mice. Similarly, the induction of colitis in mice prompted infiltration of EPCR+ innate myeloid cells within inflamed colonic tissue that were absent from the intestinal tissue of healthy mice.

Conclusion Collectively, this study identifies immunometabolic regulation of myeloid cell hypercoagulability, opening new therapeutic possibilities for targeted mitigation of thrombo-inflammatory disease.