Aberrant glucose metabolism underlies impaired macrophage differentiation in glycogen storage disease type Ib

Glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD-Ib) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency in the glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) transporter (G6PT) that is responsible for transporting G6P into the endoplasmic reticulum. GSD-Ib is characterized by disturbances in glucose homeostasis, neutropenia, and neutrophil dysfunction. Although some studies have explored neutrophils abnormalities in GSD-Ib, investigations regarding monocytes/macrophages remain limited so far. In this study, we examined the impact of G6PT deficiency on monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation using bone marrow-derived monocytes from G6pt-/- mice as well as G6PT-deficient human THP-1 monocytes. Our findings revealed that G6PT-deficient monocytes exhibited immature differentiation into macrophages. Notably, the impaired differentiation observed in G6PT-deficient monocytes seemed to be associated with abnormal glucose metabolism, characterized by enhanced glucose consumption through glycolysis, even under quiescent conditions with oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, we observed a reduced secretion of inflammatory cytokines in G6PT-deficient THP-1 monocytes during the inflammatory response, despite their elevated glucose consumption. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the significance of G6PT in monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and underscores its importance in maintaining glucose homeostasis and supporting immune response in GSD-Ib. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of GSD-Ib and potentially pave the way for the development of targeted therapeutic interventions.