Inflammatory
response in macrophages on account of prostheses-derived
wear particles is the leading cause of artificial joint failure. However,
the mechanism by which wear particles initiate macrophage inflammation
has not been fully elucidated. Previous research studies have identified
TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and stimulator of interferon genes (STING)
as potential factors in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Here,
we found that both TBK1 and STING were increased in synovium from
aseptic loosening (AL) patients and were activated in titanium particles
(TiPs)-stimulated macrophages. Lentivirus-mediated knockdown of TBK
or STING significantly inhibited the inflammatory effects of macrophages,
while overexpression of TBK or STING exerted opposite results. In
concrete, STING/TBK1 promoted the activation of NF-κB and IRF3
pathways and macrophage M1 polarization. For further validation, a
mice cranial osteolysis model was constructed for in vivo assays,
and we found that STING-overexpressed lentivirus injection exacerbated
osteolysis and inflammation, which was counteracted by TBK1-knockdown
injection. In conclusion, STING/TBK1 enhanced TiP-induced macrophage
inflammation and osteolysis via orchestrating the activation of NF-κB
and IRF3 pathways and M1 polarization, which suggested STING/TBK1
as potential therapeutic targets for preventing AL of prostheses.