Progression of chronic liver inflammation and fibrosis driven by activation of c-JUN signaling in Sirt6 mutant mice

J Biol Chem. 2012 Dec 7;287(50):41903-13. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.415182. Epub 2012 Oct 16.

Abstract

The human body has a remarkable ability to regulate inflammation, a biophysical response triggered by virus infection and tissue damage. Sirt6 is critical for metabolism and lifespan; however, its role in inflammation is unknown. Here we show that Sirt6-null (Sirt6(-/-)) mice developed chronic liver inflammation starting at ∼2 months of age, and all animals were affected by 7-8 months of age. Deletion of Sirt6 in T cells or myeloid-derived cells was sufficient to induce liver inflammation and fibrosis, albeit to a lesser degree than that in the global Sirt6(-/-) mice, suggesting that Sirt6 deficiency in the immune cells is the cause. Consistently, macrophages derived from the bone marrow of Sirt6(-/-) mice showed increased MCP-1, IL-6, and TNFα expression levels and were hypersensitive to LPS stimulation. Mechanistically, SIRT6 interacts with c-JUN and deacetylates histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) at the promoter of proinflammatory genes whose expression involves the c-JUN signaling pathway. Sirt6-deficient macrophages displayed hyperacetylation of H3K9 and increased occupancy of c-JUN in the promoter of these genes, leading to their elevated expression. These data suggest that Sirt6 plays an anti-inflammatory role in mice by inhibiting c-JUN-dependent expression of proinflammatory genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Transformed
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Hepatitis, Chronic / genetics
  • Hepatitis, Chronic / metabolism*
  • Hepatitis, Chronic / pathology
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / genetics
  • Liver Cirrhosis / metabolism*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Sirtuins / genetics
  • Sirtuins / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Sirt6 protein, mouse
  • Sirtuins