Macrophages induce cardiomyocyte ferroptosis via mitochondrial transfer

Mitochondrial transfer is a new cell-to-cell communication manner. Whether the mitochondrial transfer is also involved in the macrophage infiltration-induced cardiac injury is unclear.

This study aimed to determine whether macrophage mitochondria can be transferred to cardiomyocytes, and to investigate its possible role and mechanism.

Mitochondrial transfer between macrophages and cardiomyocytes was detected using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry. Cellular metabolites were analyzed using LC-MS technique. Differentially expressed mRNAs were identified using RNA-seq technique.

(1) After cardiomyocytes were cultured with macrophage-conditioned medium (COND + group), macrophage-derived mitochondria have been found in cardiomyocytes, which could be blocked by dynasore (an inhibitor of clathrin-mediated endocytosis). (2) Compared with control (CM) group, there were 545 altered metabolites found in COND + group, most of which were lipids and lipid-like molecules. The altered metabolites were mainly enriched in the β-oxidation of fatty acids and glutathione metabolism. And there were 4824 differentially expressed mRNAs, which were highly enriched in processes like lipid metabolism-associated pathway. (3) Both RNA-seq and qRT-PCR results found that ferroptosis-related mRNAs such as Ptgs2 and Acsl4 increased, and Gpx4 mRNA decreased in COND + group (P < 0.05 vs CM group). (4) The levels of cellular free Fe²⁺ and mitochondrial lipid peroxidation were increased; while GSH/GSSG ratio, mitochondrial aspect ratio, mitochondrial membrane potential, and ATP production were decreased in cardiomyocytes of COND + group (P < 0.05 vs CM group). All the above phenomena could be blocked by a ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (P < 0.05).

Macrophages could transfer mitochondria to cardiomyocytes. Macrophage-derived mitochondria were internalized into cardiomyocytes through clathrin- and/or lipid raft-mediated endocytosis. Uptake of exogenous macrophage mitochondria induced cardiomyocyte injury via triggering ferroptosis.