Effect of prostaglandins in urate crystal inflammation.

By use of two novel techniques for detecting extremely small amounts of PGs, studies were conducted elucidating the mechanism of urate crystal-induced inflammation. Rats deficient in EFA and thus deficient in PGs received injections of monosodium urate crystals into the footpad. The EFA-deficient animals developed less swelling than did normal animals. However, when a 1-ng dose of PGE-1, PGE-2, PGA-2, or PGF-2-alpha was added along with the urate injection the swelling was enhanced to approximately normal levels. In the second technique the swelling induced by injection of two different urate crystals was compared. Urate crystals heated to 200 degrees C produced less swelling in normal rats than did similar urate crystals heated only to 50 degrees C. However when a 1-ng dose of PGE-1, PGE-2 or PGF-2-alpha was added to the heated urate crystals injection the swelling increased to approximately the swelling in normal controls receiving urate heated to 50 degrees C. Comments are presented suggesting that urate crystal inflammation may be a membrane disease.