We agree with Yu and Sun (1) that sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) was not only implicated in the repression of inflammation (2), oxidative stress, tumor, and aging (3) but also functioned as an oncogene in the epidermis (4). The idea that SIRT6 is a two-edged sword in health and disease is nevertheless intriguing. SIRT6 promotes resistance to DNA damage and oxidative stress, the principal defects associated with age-related diseases. The modulation of aging and other metabolic functions by SIRT6 may be indicative of previously unrecognized regulatory systems in the cell (5). In line to such evidence, we unveiled SIRT6 as a possible target for the antiatherogenic therapies (6). By maintaining both the integrity and the expression of the mammalian genome, SIRT6 may help prevent cellular senescence. Moreover, successful molecular modulation of SIRT6 activity may lead to the development of new chemotherapeutic modalities as well as the development of new therapeutic strategies to delay atherosclerosis progression in high-risk patients, such as patients with diabetes.
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Duality of Interest. No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.
