Correlation of abnormal ASC and ASC-b expression with serum inflammatory mediator secretion in patients with gouty arthritis

Objective: To study the correlation of abnormal expression of apoptsis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and its subtype ASC-b with serum inflammatory mediator secretion in patients with gouty arthritis. Methods: Patients with acute gouty arthritis and patients with intermittent gouty arthritis who were treated in the People's Hospital of Deyang City between July 2014 and March 2017 were selected as the AGA group and IGA group of the research respectively, and healthy volunteers who received physical examination in the People's Hospital of Deyang City during the same period were selected as the control group of the research. The ASC and ASC-b expression in peripheral blood and inflammatory mediator levels in serum were measured. Results: Peripheral blood ASC and ASC-b mRNA expression as well as serum IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, PGE2, IL-6, IL-8, DKK-1, TRAP5b, ANGPTL4, RANKL and APN/CD31 levels of AGA group were significantly higher than those of IGA group and control group, and peripheral blood ASC and ASC-b mRNA expression as well as serum IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, PGE2, IL-6, IL-8, DKK-1, TRAP5b, ANGPTL4, RANKL and APN/CD31 levels of IGA group were not significantly different from those of control group;peripheral blood ASC and ASC-b mRNA expression of patients with AGA were positively correlated with serum IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, PGE2, IL-6, IL-8, DKK-1, TRAP5b, ANGPTL4, RANKL and APN/CD31 levels. Conclusion: High expression of ASC and ASC-b in peripheral blood of patients with gouty arthritis is closely related to the activation of inflammatory response and the bone destruction in the joints.

Anti-inflammatory Effect of Total Saponin Fraction from Dioscorea nipponica Makino on Gouty Arthritis and Its Influence on NALP3 Inflammasome

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine Dioscorea nipponica for the treatment of monosodium urate crystals-induced gouty arthritis(GA) in rats. Methods: Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: normal, model, indomethacin and three total saponin(900, 300 and 100 mg/kg) groups. The liver, kidney and serum levels of lysosomal enzymes, antioxidant capacities, and inflammatory factors were measured. In addition, the m RNA and protein levels of the NALP3 inflammasome components in the mononuclear cells of rats’ peripheral blood were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting methods, respectively. Results: Total saponins groups could reduce the activities of β-galactosidase,β-N acetyl glucosamine enzyme,β-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, and malonaldehyde as wel as the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8(all P<0.05). They could also increase the activities of glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase(both P<0.05). Further studies showed that total saponins groups of high, middle and low doses could all increase the m RNA and protein levels of caspase-1, adapter apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain(ASC) and NALP3 in the mononuclear cells of peripheral blood(all P<0.05). Conclusion: Dioscorea nipponica may treat GA by regulating lysosomal enzymes, antioxidant capacities and the NALP3 inflammasome.