Aging is a main risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). FoxO transcription factors protect against cellular and organismal aging, and FoxO expression in cartilage is reduced with aging and in OA. To investigate the role of FoxO in cartilage, Col2Cre-FoxO1, 3, and 4 single knockout (KO) and triple KO mice (Col2Cre-TKO) were analyzed. Articular cartilage in Col2Cre-TKO and Col2Cre-FoxO1 KO mice was thicker than in control mice at 1 or 2 months of age. This was associated with increased proliferation of chondrocytes of Col2Cre-TKO mice in vivo and in vitro. OA-like changes developed in cartilage, synovium, and subchondral bone between 4 and 6 months of age in Col2Cre-TKO and Col2Cre-FoxO1 KO mice. Col2Cre-FoxO3 and FoxO4 KO mice showed no cartilage abnormalities until 18 months of age when Col2Cre-FoxO3 KO mice had more severe OA than control mice. Autophagy and antioxidant defense genes were reduced in Col2Cre-TKO mice. Deletion of FoxO1/3/4 in mature mice using Aggrecan(Acan)-CreERT2 (AcanCreERT-TKO) also led to spontaneous cartilage degradation and increased OA severity in a surgical model or treadmill running. The superficial zone of knee articular cartilage of Col2Cre-TKO and AcanCreERT-TKO mice exhibited reduced cell density and markedly decreased In vitro, ectopic FoxO1 expression increased and synergized with transforming growth factor-β stimulation. In OA chondrocytes, overexpression of FoxO1 reduced inflammatory mediators and cartilage-degrading enzymes, increased protective genes, and antagonized interleukin-1β effects. Our observations suggest that FoxO play a key role in postnatal cartilage development, maturation, and homeostasis and protect against OA-associated cartilage damage.

Objectives A major signaling pathway that regulates cellular aging is the Insulin/IGF-1/Pl3k/Akt/forkhead-box class O (FOXO) transcription factor axis. Previously, we observed that FOXO factors are dysregulated in aged and OA cartilage. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of downregulated FOXOs on chondrocytes. Methods Small interference RNAs (siRNAs) for FOXO1 and FOXO3 were transfected into human articular chondrocytes. Cell viability following treatment with the oxidant tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) was measured by MTT assay. Caspase-3/7 activation and apoptotic cell were examined. Gene and protein expression of antioxidant proteins and autophagy related proteins and changes in inflammatory mediators following treatment with IL-1β were analyzed. Cells transfected with FOXO plasmids were also analyzed. Results Cell viability was significantly reduced by siFOXO under treatment with t-BHP. Apoptosis accompanied by caspase activation was significantly induced in FOXO-siRNA transfected chondrocytes. Knock-down of FOXO1 and FOXO1+3 resulted in significant reductions of GPX-1, catalase, LC3, Beclin1, and SIRT1 proteins following treatment with t-BHP. In contrast, constitutive active form of FOXO 3 increased cell viability while inducing GPX1, Beclin1, and LC3 in response to t-BHP. Expression and production of ADAMTS-4 and Chemerin were significantly increased in FOXO-siRNA transfected chondrocytes. Conclusions Reduced expression of FOXO transcription factors in chondrocytes increased susceptibility to cell death induced by oxidative stress. This was associated with reduced antioxidant proteins and autophagy related proteins. Our data provide evidence for a key role of FOXO transcription factors as regulators of chondrocyte oxidative stress resistance and tissue homeostasis.

We identified a novel subnetwork of dysregulated TFs that represent new mediators of abnormal gene expression and promising therapeutic targets in OA.

Objectives Circadian rhythm (CR) was identified by RNA sequencing as the most dysregulated pathway in human osteoarthritis (OA) in articular cartilage. This study examined circadian rhythmicity in cultured chondrocytes and the role of the CR genes NR1D1 and BMAL1 in regulating chondrocyte functions. Methods RNA was extracted from normal and OA-affected human knee cartilage (n=14 each). Expression levels of NR1D1 and BMAL1 mRNA and protein were assessed by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. Human chondrocytes were synchronized and harvested at regular intervals to examine circadian rhythmicity in RNA and protein expression. Chondrocytes were treated with small interfering RNA (siRNA) for NR1D1 or BMAL1, followed by RNA sequencing and analysis of the effects on the TGF-β pathway. Results NR1D1 and BMAL1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in OA compared to normal cartilage. In cultured human chondrocytes, a clear circadian rhythmicity was observed for NR1D1 and BMAL1. Increased BMAL1 expression was observed after knocking down NR1D1, and decreased NR1D1 levels were observed after knocking down BMAL1. Sequencing of RNA from chondrocytes treated with NR1D1 or BMAL1 siRNA identified 330 and 68 significantly different genes, respectively, and this predominantly affected the TGF-β signaling pathway. Conclusions The circadian rhythm pathway is dysregulated in OA cartilage. Interference with circadian rhythmicity in cultured chondrocytes affects TGF-β signaling, which is a central pathway in cartilage homeostasis.

Objectives To analyze the methylome of normal and osteoarthritis (OA) knee articular cartilage and determine the role of DNA methylation in the regulation of gene expression in vitro. Methods DNA was isolated from human normal (N=11) and OA (N=12) knee articular cartilage and analyzed by an Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip methylation array. To integrate methylation and transcription, RNAseq was performed on normal and OA cartilage validated by qPCR. Functional validation was performed in the human TC28 cell line and primary chondrocytes that were treated with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-Aza-2-deoxycytidine (5’Aza). Results DNA methylation profiling revealed 929 differentially methylated sites (DMS) between normal and OA cartilage that comprised a total of 500 genes. Among these, 45 transcription factors that harbored DMS were identified. Integrative analysis and subsequent validation showed a subset of 6 transcription factors that were significantly hypermethylated and downregulated in OA cartilage (ATOH8, MAFF, NCOR2, TBX4, ZBTB16 and ZHX2). Upon 5’Aza treatment, TC28 cells showed a significant increase in gene expression for all six transcription factors. In primary chondrocytes, ATOH8 and TBX4 were increased after 5’Aza treatment. Conclusions Our findings reveal that normal and OA knee articular cartilage have significantly different methylomes. The identification of a subset of epigenetically regulated transcription factors with reduced expression in OA may represent an important mechanism to explain changes in the chondrocyte transcriptome and function during OA pathogenesis.