RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: In this study, we investigated the effects of a soft coral-derived anti-inflammatory compound, lemnalol, on mast cell (MC) function and osteoclast activity in rats with monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced gouty arthritis. METHODS: In this study, we examined the therapeutic effects of lemnalol on intra-articular injection of MSU induces gouty arthritis with the measurement of ankle oedema. Toluidine blue staining were used to analyse the infiltration and the percentage degranulation MCs. Immunohistochemical analysis showed CD117, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), the osteoclast markers cathepsin K and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) protein expression in ankle tissue. KEY FINDINGS: We found that both infiltration and degranulation of MCs increased at 24 h after MSU injection in the ankle joint. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that MSU induced upregulation of TGF-ß1, MMP-9, the osteoclast markers cathepsin K and TRAP in ankle tissues. Administration of lemnalol ameliorated MSU-induced TGF-ß1, MMP-9, cathepsin K and TRAP protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results show that MSU-induced gouty arthritis is accompanied by osteoclast-related protein upregulation and that lemnalol treatment may be beneficial for the attenuation of MC infiltration and degranulation and for suppressing osteoclast activation in gouty arthritis.