Review Article

J Rheum Dis 2016; 23(6): 340-347

Published online December 31, 2016

© Korean College of Rheumatology

Roles of Reactive Oxygen Species in Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis

Su-Jin Yoo2,*, Eunbyeol Go1,*, Ye-Eun Kim1, Sunyoung Lee2, Jaeyul Kwon1

Departments of 1Medical Education and 2Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea

Correspondence to : Jaeyul Kwon, Department of Medical Education, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Korea. E-mail:kwonja@cnu.ac.kr
*The first two authors contributed equally to this work.

Received: October 21, 2016; Revised: November 14, 2016; Accepted: November 15, 2016

This is a Free Access article, which permits unrestricted non-commerical use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that starts with decreased tolerance to modified self-antigens and eventually leads to synovitis and destruction of bone and cartilage. Age is a risk factor for developing RA. Major changes in the immune system come with age due to chronic oxidative stress on the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage pathway, somatic mutation, modifications of auto-antigens, T cell tolerance and activation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 2 (NADPH oxidase 2) suppress T cell receptor signaling. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a critical immune suppressor of T cell activation and a key regulator of oxidative stress. When oxidative stress reduces activity of SIRT1, the breakdown of tolerance to modified self-antigens is expected. Generation of ROS can be perpetuated by enhanced DNA damage and dysfunctional mitochondria in a feedback loop during the development of RA. Through major T cell loss and selective proliferation of peripheral T cells, pro-inflammatory T cell pools with abnormal features are established in the T cell compartment. Hypoxic and inflammatory condition in synovium perpetuates ROS generation, which leads to the activation of FLS. In both T cell and synovium compartment, oxidative stress reshapes the immune system into the development of pre-clinical RA.

Keywords Rheumatoid arthritis, Reactive oxygen species, NADPH oxidase, Sirtuin 1, Oxidative stress

Article

Review Article

J Rheum Dis 2016; 23(6): 340-347

Published online December 31, 2016 https://doi.org/10.4078/jrd.2016.23.6.340

Copyright © Korean College of Rheumatology.

Roles of Reactive Oxygen Species in Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis

Su-Jin Yoo2,*, Eunbyeol Go1,*, Ye-Eun Kim1, Sunyoung Lee2, Jaeyul Kwon1

Departments of 1Medical Education and 2Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea

Correspondence to:Jaeyul Kwon, Department of Medical Education, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Korea. E-mail:kwonja@cnu.ac.kr
*The first two authors contributed equally to this work.

Received: October 21, 2016; Revised: November 14, 2016; Accepted: November 15, 2016

This is a Free Access article, which permits unrestricted non-commerical use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that starts with decreased tolerance to modified self-antigens and eventually leads to synovitis and destruction of bone and cartilage. Age is a risk factor for developing RA. Major changes in the immune system come with age due to chronic oxidative stress on the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage pathway, somatic mutation, modifications of auto-antigens, T cell tolerance and activation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 2 (NADPH oxidase 2) suppress T cell receptor signaling. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a critical immune suppressor of T cell activation and a key regulator of oxidative stress. When oxidative stress reduces activity of SIRT1, the breakdown of tolerance to modified self-antigens is expected. Generation of ROS can be perpetuated by enhanced DNA damage and dysfunctional mitochondria in a feedback loop during the development of RA. Through major T cell loss and selective proliferation of peripheral T cells, pro-inflammatory T cell pools with abnormal features are established in the T cell compartment. Hypoxic and inflammatory condition in synovium perpetuates ROS generation, which leads to the activation of FLS. In both T cell and synovium compartment, oxidative stress reshapes the immune system into the development of pre-clinical RA.

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, Reactive oxygen species, NADPH oxidase, Sirtuin 1, Oxidative stress

JRD
Jan 01, 2025 Vol.32 No.1, pp. 1~7
COVER PICTURE
Cumulative growth of rheumatology members and specialists (1980~2024). Cumulative distribution of the number of the (A) Korean College of Rheumatology members and (B) rheumatology specialists. (J Rheum Dis 2025;32:63-65)

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