TFAM-dependent mitochondrial metabolism is required for alveolar macrophages maintenance and homeostasis

In this report, we showed that TFAM deficiency caused impaired AM mitochondrial fitness, altered metabolism and defective lipid catabolic responses, leading to diminished AM quantity and altered AM phenotypes. We demonstrated that TFAM deficiency did not impair AM differentiation from their precursors, but caused reduced AM maintenance. RNA-seq experiment revealed that TFAM deficiency caused impaired AM self-renewal capability. We showed that TFAM deficiency in AMs caused impaired clearance of respiratory debris, surfactant and enhanced susceptibility to severe influenza virus infection. Finally, we found that influenza infection resulted in disruption of TFAM-mediated mitochondrial fitness and metabolism in AMs. Overall design: Examined with bulk WT or TFAM-deficient AM