Macrophage-Derived MicroRNA-21 Drives Overwhelming Glycolytic and Inflammatory Response during Sepsis via Repression of the PGE2/IL-10 Axis.

Myeloid cells are critical for systemic inflammation, microbial control, and organ damage during sepsis. MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that can dictate the outcome of sepsis. The role of myeloid-based expression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in sepsis is inconclusive. In this study, we show that sepsis enhanced miR-21 expression in both peritoneal macrophages and neutrophils from septic C57BL/6J mice, and the deletion of miR-21 locus in myeloid cells (miR-21Δmyel mice) enhanced animal survival, decreased bacterial growth, decreased systemic inflammation, and decreased organ damage. Resistance to sepsis was associated with a reduction of aerobic glycolysis and increased levels of the anti-inflammatory mediators PGE2 and IL-10 in miR-21Δmyel in vivo and in vitro. Using blocking Abs and pharmacological tools, we discovered that increased survival and decreased systemic inflammation in septic miR-21Δmyel mice is dependent on PGE2/IL-10-mediated inhibition of glycolysis. Together, these findings demonstrate that expression of miR-21 in myeloid cells orchestrates the balance between anti-inflammatory mediators and metabolic reprogramming that drives cytokine storm during sepsis.