Pathophysiology of Gouty Tophi

The researchers also found that MSU-induced NETosis was not reduced by inhibitors of necroptosis, nor was it inhibited by therapeutic agents used to treat gout, such as colchicine, indomethacin and dexamethasone. Thus, they established that MSU crystal-induced NETs are less susceptible to DNase 1 and serum degradation than were PMA-NETs. In other words, the MSU-NETs were functionally distinct from PMA-NETs because they exhibited resistance to DNase and serum degradation. Although the full consequences of MSU-induced NETosis remain unclear, the authors hypothesize in their paper that the inappropriate NETosis promotes or perpetuates inflammation.

Lara C. Pullen, PhD, is a medical writer based in the Chicago area.

Reference

1. Chatfield SM, Grebe K, Whitehead LW, et al. Monosodium urate crystals generate nuclease-resistant neutrophil extracellular traps via a distinct molecular pathway. J Immunol. 2018 Mar 1;200(5):1802–1816. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701382. Epub 2018 Jan 24.