SIRT1 inhibits rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocyte aggressiveness and inflammatory response via suppressing NF-κB pathway

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease of the joints characterized by synovial hyperplasia and chronic inflammation. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) play a central role in RA initiation, progression, and perpetuation. Prior studies showed that sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a deacetylase participating in a broad range of transcriptional and metabolic regulations, may impact cell proliferation and inflammatory responses. However, the role of SIRT1 in RA-FLS was unclear. Here, we explored the effects of SIRT1 on the aggressiveness and inflammatory responses of cultured RA-FLS. SIRT1 expression was significantly lower in synovial tissues and FLS from RA patients than from healthy controls. Overexpression of SIRT1 significantly inhibited RA-FLS proliferation, migration, and invasion. SIRT1 overexpression also significantly increased RA-FLS apoptosis and caspase-3 and -8 activity. Focusing on inflammatory phenotypes, we found SIRT1 significantly reduced RA-FLS secretion of TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1 beta. Mechanistic studies further revealed SIRT1 suppressed NF-kappa B pathway by reducing p65 protein expression, phosphorylation, and acetylation in RA-FLS. Our results suggest SIRT1 is a key regulator in RA pathogenesis by suppressing aggressive phenotypes and inflammatory response of FLS. Enhancing SIRT1 expression or function in FLS could be therapeutic beneficial for RA by inhibiting synovial hyperplasia and inflammation.