Intermittent hyperglycaemia induces macrophage dysfunction by extracellular regulated protein kinase‐dependent PKM2 translocation in periodontitis

Abstract Early fluctuations in blood glucose levels increased susceptibility to macrophage dysfunction. However, the underlying pathological mechanisms linking glucose variations and macrophage dysregulation remains elusive. In current study, we established an animal model of transient intermittent hyperglycaemia (TIH) to simulate early fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Our findings revealed that both TIH and diabetic group exhibited more severe periodontal lesions and increased secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines compared to healthy controls. In immortalized bone marrow–derived macrophages (iBMDMs), phagocytosis and chemotaxis were impaired with transient and lasting hyperglycaemia, accompanied by enhanced glycolysis. We also found that TIH activated pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) through the phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) in vivo, particularly at dimeric levels. In macrophage cultured with TIH, PKM2 translocated into the nucleus and involved in the regulating inflammatory genes, including TNF‐α, IL‐6 and IL‐1β. PKM2 translocation and secretion of inflammatory cytokines were attenuated by PD98059, while PKM2 tetramer activator TEPP‐46 prevented the formation of dimeric PKM2 in macrophages. Moreover, inhibition of glycolysis alleviated the TIH‐induced pro‐inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, our manuscript provides a rationale for understanding how TIH modulates metabolic rewiring and dysfunction in macrophages via ERK‐dependent PKM2 nuclear translocation.