期刊連結：http://www.gouthyperuricemia.org

Purpose: Uric acid (UA) crystals, also known as monosodium urate (MSU), act as an initiator of gouty arthritis and an endogenous danger sign of immune regulation in other diseases. This review describes the relationship between UA and/or MSU and immune regulation.

Findings: Once MSUs are recognized by innate inflammatory cells (like macrophages, dendrite cells etc.), a set of membrane events occur that trigger the activation of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors pyrin containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, cytokine production and phagocytosis. Macrophages and other immune cells (natural killer cells, T cells, and T helper cell 17) are important regulators that participate in MSU-induced inflammation. Since gouty arthritis is a self-limiting autoimmune disease with uncertain mechanisms, we summarized some supposed mechanisms which offer insights into gout treatments. Moreover, UA or MSU have a strong relationship with allergy, tumorogenesis and neurological diseases.

Conclusion: UA or MSU participates in the regulation of a variety of immune cells, which could explain gout self limitation and its role in different diseases.