Induction of matrix metalloproteinase-13 gene expression by TNF-α is mediated by MAP kinases, AP-1, and NF-κB transcription factors in articular chondrocytes

• Published in: Experimental cell research Vol. 288; no. 1; pp. 208 - 217
• Main Authors: Liacini, Abdelhamid, Sylvester, Judith, Qing Li, Wen, Huang, Wensheng, Dehnade, Faramaze, Ahmad, Mushtaq, Zafarullah, Muhammad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.08.2003
• Subjects: Activating protein-1; Arthritis; Cartilage; Chondrocyte; Matrix metalloproteinases; Mitogen-activated protein kinases; Nuclear factor κB, inhibitors; Signal transduction; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Cartilage; Signal transduction; Matrix metalloproteinases; Chondrocyte; Activating protein-1; Arthritis; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Nuclear factor κB, inhibitors; Mitogen-activated protein kinases
• ISSN: 0014-4827; 1090-2422
• DOI: 10.1016/S0014-4827(03)00180-0

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a major proinflammatory cytokine, induces arthritic joint inflammation and resorption of cartilage by matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13). RNA for MMP-13 is increased in human arthritic femoral cartilage. Mechanisms of this induction were investigated by pretreating primary human osteoarthritic (OA) femoral head chondrocytes or chondrosarcoma cells with the potential inhibitors of TNF-α signal transduction and downstream target transcription factors followed by stimulation with TNF-α and analysis of MMP-13 RNA/protein. TNF-α rapidly activated phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), p38, and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases in human chondrocytes. Inhibitors of ERK (U0126, PD98059, and ERK1/2 antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotide), JNK (SB203580, SP600125, and curcumin), and p38 (SB203580 and SB202190) pathways down-regulated the TNF-stimulated expression of MMP-13. Inhibitors of the transcription factors AP-1 (nordihydroguaiaretic acid, NDGA) and NF-κB (curcumin, proteasome inhibitors, and Bay-11-7085) suppressed TNF-α-induced MMP-13 expression in primary chondrocytes and SW1353 cells. These results suggest that induction of the MMP-13 gene by TNF-α is mediated by ERK, p38, and JNK MAP kinases as well as AP-1 and NF-κB transcription factors. Blockade of TNF-α signaling and its target transcription factors by the approaches tested here may be beneficial for reducing cartilage breakdown by MMP-13 in arthritis.