Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a class III histone/protein deacetylase, and its activation status has been well documented to have physiologic benefits in human health. However, the function of SIRT1 in cancer remains controversial. Here, the expression and role of SIRT1 in gastric cancer is delineated. SIRT1 was present in all normal gastric mucosa specimens; however, it was only present in a portion of the matched gastric cancer tumor specimens. In SIRT1-positive tumors, both mRNA and protein levels were downregulated as compared with the corresponding nonneoplastic tissue. Ectopic expression of SIRT1 inhibited cell proliferation, diminished clonogenic potential, and induced a G1-phase cell-cycle arrest, the effects of which were not apparent when a catalytic-domain mutant form of SIRT1 was introduced, suggesting that SIRT1 functions in gastric cancer are dependent on its deacetylase activity. Further evidence was obtained from depletion of SIRT1. At the molecular level, SIRT1 inhibited the transcription of Cyclin D1 (CCND1), and inhibition of NF-κB in SIRT1-depleted cells rescued Cyclin D1 expression. Furthermore, inhibition of either NF-κB or Cyclin D1 in SIRT1-depleted cells reversed the inhibitory effects of SIRT1. The inhibitory role of SIRT1 was also verified in vivo using xenografts. This work characterizes SIRT1 status and demonstrates its inhibitory function in gastric cancer development, which involves NF-κB/Cyclin D1 signaling, offering a therapeutic role for SIRT1 activators.
Implications: The inhibitory functions of SIRT1, which involve NF-κB/Cyclin D1 signaling, suggest the utility of SIRT1 activators in the prevention and therapy of gastric cancer.