Expression levels and clinical significance of NLRP3 and HMGB1 derived from platelets in patients with gout

Abstract

"Objective To investigate the expression levels of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) and high mobility group box-1 proten (HMGB1) in platelets derived from patients with gout, as well as their clinical significance in gout. Methods A total of 25 male patients with gout arthritis (GA), 23 male patients with hyperuricemia (HUA), and 15 age-matched male healthy controls (HC) were recruited from the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University from January 2022 to January 2023. Platelet samples were obtained from all subjects and the expression levels of platelet-derived NLRP3 and HMGB1 were detected using flow cytometry (FCM). General information and laboratory indicators of all subjects were collected, and Pearson linear correlation and Spearman rank correlation analysis were performed between NLRP3, HMGB1 and their laboratory indicators. Results The positive cell rates of NLRP3 and HMGB1 in GA group were higher than those in HUA group and HC group, while those in HUA group were higher than those in HC group, with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05). In GA group, body mass index (BMI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil count (NEUT), platelet count (PLT), blood uric acid (UA), fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer (DD) levels were higher than those in HUA group and HC group, while BMI, PLT, and UA levels in HUA group were higher than those in HC group (P＜0.05); the proportion of alcohol drinkers, and level of triacylglycerol (TG) in GA group were higher than those in HC group, while those level in HUA group were higher than those in HC group (P＜0.05); mean platelet volume (MPV) level in GA group was lower than that in HC group (P＜0.05). In GA group, the positive cell rate of NLRP3 was positively correlated with ESR, CRP, NEUT, PLT, TG, UA, FIB, and DD (P＜0.05), and negatively correlated with MPV (P＜0.05); the positive cell rate of HMGB1 was positively correlated with CRP, NEUT, PLT, TG, FIB, and DD (P＜0.05); in HUA group, the positive cell rate of NLRP3 was positively correlated with PLT, TG, and UA (P＜0.05); the positive cell rate of HMGB1 was positively correlated with PLT and TG (P＜0.05). Conclusion Platelet-derived NLRP3 and HMGB1 may indirectly reflect the degree of inflammation and disease activity in gout patients, be involved in the development and progression of gout. They are expected to become biological indicators for assessing gout in the future."

Keywords

• gout; hyperuricemia，platelet，nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3，high mobility group box-1 protein