Kisspeptin-10 Protects Against TNF-α-Induced Chondrocyte Senescence via the SIRT1/p53/p21 Signaling

In Osteoarthritis (OA), the senescence of chondrocytes plays a pivotal role, contributing to cartilage degradation and impairing tissue repair mechanisms. (Kp-10), a peptide hormone, exerts diverse biological functions across multiple cell types and tissues via its receptor Gpr54. However, its role in chondrocytes and OA has been understudied. This study investigates the role of Kp-10 in mitigating TNF-α- induced senescence in primary chondrocytes, a hallmark of OA pathogenesis. Gpr54 expression was confirmed in both primary chondrocytes and the ATDC5 chondrogenic cell line, with TNF-α treatment leading to a dose-dependent decrease in Gpr54 expression. Kp-10 treatment at concentrations of 50 and 100 nM effectively ameliorated TNF-α-induced senescence, as evidenced by diminished senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining and enhanced telomerase activity. Moreover, Kisspeptin-10 modulated the expression of key regulators involved in cellular aging, including hTERT and TERF2, and suppressed the activation of the p53/p21 pathway. Notably, Kp-10 restored SIRT1 expression, which was downregulated by TNF-α. Silencing SIRT1 abolished the protective effects of Kp-10, highlighting the essential role of SIRT1 in its anti-senescence action. These findings suggest that Kp-10 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for OA by mitigating chondrocyte senescence and improving cellular function by modulating the SIRT1 and p53/p21 pathways.