Altered Expression Of Aquaporin 3 Might Be Involved In The Pathogenesis Of Primary Gouty Arthritis

Objective: This study aims to investigate whether there exists altered expression of aquaporin 3(AQP3) in patient with gouty arthritis(GA).Methods:(1) Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-q PCR) was used to detecting the expressions of AQP3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) in 49 acute gouty arthritis(AGA), 40 inter-critical gout(IGA) and 42 health control(HC); Clinical and laboratory parameters were collected in all the participants.(2) The peripheral blood of IGA and HC were stimulated 6 hours with Phosphate Buffered Saline(PBS), 100μg/ml monosodium urate(MSU), then the expressions of AQP3 were examined with RT-q PCR in PBMCs.(4) Western blot(WB) was used to measure AQP3 from 6 AGA, 6 IGA and 6 HC, and to measure the peripheral blood of IGA and HC were stimulated 6 hours respectively with Phosphate Buffered Saline(PBS), 100μg/ml monosodium urate(MSU).(5) The plasma samples were taken for measurement of AQP3 concentrations.(6) Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS19.0 software. The results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation and median(quartiles). Numerical variables were compared using an unpaired student’s t-test between 2 groups, a one-way ANOVA(analysis of variance) for multiple comparisons. Correlations between laboratory data and AQP3 m RNA levels were analyzed with the Spearman’s analysis. A P value less than 0.05 was considered to denote statistical significance.Results:(1) The AQP3 m RNA levels of AGA, IGA, HC patients were significantly different(P<0.05). Moreover, compared to AGA, the AQP3 m RNA levels of IGA(P<0.01) or HC(P<0.05) patients were markedly lower. The AQP3 m RNA levels of IGA and HC patients are no significant(P>0.05); In comparison with AGA, the levels of AQP3 protein were significantly lower than those IGA or HC patients(F=20.11, P<0.01). Furthermore, compared to AGA, the AQP3 protein levels of IGA(P<0.01) or HC(P<0.01) patients were markedly lower, but the AQP3 protein levels of IGA and HC patients are no significant(P>0.05).(2) Compared to the PBS control group(0.69±0.11),the AQP3 protein levels of MSU stimulated group(1.41 ± 0.39) were significantly increased in healthy control vitro(t=-3.545,P<0.05). Compared to the PBS control group(0.0050± 0.0015), the m RNA levels of MSU stimulated group(0.0047±0.0.0013) were no significantly in healthy control vitro(t=0.35, P>0.05). And in comparison with the PBS control group(0.83±0.18), the AQP3 protein levels of MSU stimulated group(1.76±0.25)were markedly increased in IGA vitro(t=-5.968, P<0.01). Compared to the PBS control group(0.006±0.0024), the m RNA levels of MSU stimulated group(0.006±0.0.0022) were no significantly from IGA(t= 0.09, P>0.05).(3) The plasma AQP3 levels of AGA, IGA and HC patients were significantly different(F=8.004, P<0.01).Moreover, compared to AGA, the plasma AQP3 levels of IGA patients(P<0.05) or HCs(P<0.01) were higher. The plasma AQP3 levels were no significantly in IGA patients compared to HCs(P>0.05).(4) In the GA patients, the levels of AQP3 was correlated positively with lymphocyte levels(r=0.352, P<0.05).Conclude: The expressions of AQP3 in AGA are significantly higher than that in IGA, HC and inflammatory environment in vitro. It suggested that AQP3 participated in the inflammatory immune response and played an important role in the pathogenesis of gouty arthritis.