Open AccessSirtuin 1 enzymatic activity is required for cartilage homeostasis in vivo in a mouse model
Author(s) -
Gabay Odile,
Sanchez Christelle,
DvirGinzberg Mona,
Gagarina Viktoria,
Zaal Kristien J.,
Song Yingjie,
He Xiao Hong,
McBurney Michael W.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.37750
Subject(s) - cartilage , aggrecan , chondrocyte , in vivo , matrix metalloproteinase , apoptosis , endocrinology , type ii collagen , medicine , sirtuin 1 , cartilage oligomeric matrix protein , chemistry , biology , osteoarthritis , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , downregulation and upregulation , anatomy , biochemistry , articular cartilage , gene , genetics , alternative medicine
Objective We and others previously demonstrated that sirtuin 1 (SIRT‐1) regulates apoptosis and cartilage‐specific gene expression in human chondrocytes and mouse models. This study was undertaken to determine if SIRT‐1 enzymatic activity plays a protective role in cartilage homeostasis in vivo, by investigating mice with SIRT‐1 mutations to characterize their cartilage. Methods Articular cartilage was harvested from the paws and knees of 5‐ and 6‐month‐old wild‐type (WT) mice and mice homozygous for SIRT‐1 tm2.1Mcby (SIRT‐1 y/y ), an allele carrying a point mutation that encodes a SIRT‐1 protein with no enzymatic activity (y/y mice). Mice ages 2 days old and 6–7 days old were also examined. Mouse joint cartilage was processed for histologic examination or biochemical analyses of chondrocyte cultures. Results We found that articular cartilage tissue sections from y/y mice of up to 6 months of age contained reduced levels of type II collagen, aggrecan, and glycosaminoglycan compared to sections from WT mice. In contrast, protein levels of matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP‐8), MMP‐9, and MMP‐13 were elevated in the cartilage of y/y mice. In addition, chondrocyte apoptosis was elevated in SIRT‐1 mutant mice as compared to their WT littermates. Consistent with these observations, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1b was elevated in the y/y mice. Conclusion Our in vivo findings in this animal model demonstrate that mice with defective SIRT‐1 also have defective cartilage, with elevated rates of cartilage degradation with age. Hence, normal cartilage homeostasis requires enzymatically active SIRT‐1 protein.