Profiling adrenal gland resident macrophage response to acute and chronic stress

Abstract Macrophages are found across all organs in the body and play key roles in health and disease. Systemic stress is a major risk factor for a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases. However, the primary source for stress hormones, the adrenal gland (AGs), have yet to be thoroughly assessed for immune cell diversity. Here we utilized single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to investigate macrophage heterogeneity in nascent AGs, compared against acute stress (cold challenge) or a chronic stress model of cardiovascular disease. In steady state, we observed two major macrophage populations in the AG. Following acute and chronic stress, AG macrophages upregulated expression of inflammatory cytokines (Il1b, TNFa) and key lipid uptake molecules, including Trem2. These observations were replicated using imaging analysis showing hormone uptake by AG macrophages. Using a monocyte-fate-mapping approach, we observed increased recruitment following stressed conditions, which correlated with reduced AG macrophage proliferation. Finally, we observed exacerbated systemic corticosterone levels following AG macrophage depletion and Trem2 deficiency. Overall, these data define AG macrophage heterogeneity and suggest a regulatory function of AG macrophage following exposure to acute and chronic stress.