The effect of soluble sodium urate on the proliferation and proteoglycan synthesis of lapine articular chondrocytes in monolayer culture.

The effects of soluble monosodium urate (350, 50, and 5 mumol/l) on the proliferation and proteoglycan synthesis of lapine articular chondrocytes were studied in a monolayer culture system. Cellular proliferation in vitro was unaffected by urate treatment. Chondrocytes treated with 50 mumol/l sodium urate showed a 26% reduction in binding of 35SO4 to matrix macromolecules. However, this reduction did not achieve statistical significance. The 350 and 5 mumol/l concentrations did not alter 35SO4 binding. It is proposed that monosodium urate has no marked direct effect on chondrocyte viability, proliferation and proteoglycan synthesis.