A study from Belgium has identified a new molecular switch that enables immune cells, called macrophages, to fully develop and protect organ health.

Macrophages are found in nearly every tissue of the body, where they remove pathogens and dead cells, and maintain the normal function of organs. If macrophages do not mature properly, tissues lose an important defence and maintenance system, allowing damage and inflammation to build up. To reach full functional maturity, macrophages must switch on a network of genes that enables them to carry out these tasks.

Researchers at the University of Liège, an EARA member, found that this process is controlled by  MafB, a molecule produced by macrophages, that acts as a central genetic switch that enables them to become fully functional in mice. Without MafB, macrophages remain in an immature state and were unable to fully carry out their function. 

The study published in Immunity also shows that the MafB regulation of macrophage development and function is conserved across species, including mice and humans.

"Our results show that MafB functions as a master regulator that gives macrophages their identity and equips them with the capabilities necessary to support organ health," explains the last author of the study, Thomas Marichal. "Without this instruction program, these cells are present but not fully operational."

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