Pyrophosphate, phosphate ion interaction: effects on calcium pyrophosphate and calcium hydroxyapatite crystal formation in aqueous solutions.

The relationship between ambient ionic conditions that favor pyrophosphate (PPi) versus phosphate (Pi) biomineralization is important to understanding the pathogenesis of chondrocalcinosis. We studied aqueous solutions at pH 7.4, 37 degrees C, [Na+] = 140 mM, [Mg+ +] = 0.5 mM, [Ca+ +] = 1.0 or 1.5 mM over a range of pyrophosphate and phosphate concentrations to determine the effect of different ambient concentrations and ratios of Pi/PPi on calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) and calcium hydroxyapatite (HA) crystal formation. We found that the Pi/PPi ratio is an extremely important determinant of the crystal product formed. At low [Pi], CPPD crystal formation is partially inhibited by Pi; at higher [Pi], calcium pyrophosphate, calcium phosphate and calcium pyrophosphate-phosphate complexes amorphous to x-ray diffraction are formed; whereas at still higher [Pi], HA crystal formation partially inhibited by PPi. We conclude that CPPD forms when the ratio [Pi]/[PPi] less than 3 and HA forms when [Pi]/[PPi] greater than 100.