Macrophages represent one of the first lines of defense during infections and are essential for resolution of inflammation following pathogen clearance. Rapid activation or suppression of protein synthesis via changes in translational efficiency allows cells of the immune system, including macrophages, to quickly respond to external triggers or cues without de novo mRNA synthesis. The translational repressors eIF4E-binding proteins 4E-BP1 and 4E-BP2 (4E-BP1/2) are central regulators of proinflammatory cytokine synthesis during viral and parasitic infections. However, it remains to be established whether 4E-BP1/2 play a role in translational control of anti-inflammatory responses. By comparing translational efficiencies of immune-related transcripts in macrophages from wild-type and 4E-BP1/2 double-knockout mice, we found that translation of mRNAs encoding two major regulators of inflammation, IL-10 and PG-endoperoxide synthase 2/cyclooxygenase-2, is controlled by 4E-BP1/2. Genetic deletion of 4E-BP1/2 in macrophages increased endogenous IL-10 and PGE protein synthesis in response to TLR4 stimulation and reduced their bactericidal capacity. The molecular mechanism involves enhanced anti-inflammatory gene expression (s, ,, ) owing to upregulation of IL-10-STAT3 and PGE-C/EBPβ signaling. These data provide evidence that 4E-BP1/2 limit anti-inflammatory responses in macrophages and suggest that dysregulated activity of 4E-BP1/2 might be involved in reprogramming of the translational and downstream transcriptional landscape of macrophages during pathological conditions, such as infections and cancer.

Signaling through the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a major regulatory node of pro‐inflammatory mediator production by macrophages (MΦs). However, it is still unclear whether such regulation relies on selective translational control by two of the main mTORC1 effectors, the eIF4E‐binding proteins 1 and 2 (4E‐BP1/2). By comparing translational efficiencies of immune‐related transcripts of MΦs from WT and 4E‐BP1/2 double‐KO (DKO) mice, we found that translation of mRNAs encoding the pro‐inflammatory chemokines CCL5 and CXCL10 is controlled by 4E‐BP1/2. Macrophages deficient in 4E‐BP1/2 produced higher levels of CCL5 and CXCL10 upon LPS stimulation, which enhanced chemoattraction of activated T cells. Consistent with this, treatment of WT cells with mTORC1 inhibitors promoted the activation of 4E‐BP1/2 and reduced CCL5 and CXCL10 secretion. In contrast, the phosphorylation status of eIF4E did not affect the synthesis of these chemokines since MΦs derived from mice harboring a non‐phosphorylatable form of the protein produced similar levels of CCL5 and CXCL10 to WT counterparts. These data provide evidence that the mTORC1‐4E‐BP1/2 axis contributes to regulate the production of chemoattractants by MΦs by limiting translation efficiency of Ccl5 and Cxcl10 mRNAs, and suggest that 4E‐BP1/2 act as immunological safeguards by fine‐tuning inflammatory responses in MΦs.

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