Angiotensin type 2 receptor antagonism as a new target to manage gout

Thiago Neves Vieira, André L.Lopes Saraiva, Rafaela Mano Guimarães, João Paulo Mesquita Luiz, Larissa Garcia Pinto, Veridiana de Melo Rodrigues Ávila, Luiz Ricardo Goulart, Jair Pereira Cunha-Junior, Peter Anthony McNaughton, Thiago Mattar Cunha, Juliano Ferreira, Cassia Regina Silva*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)
1 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: There is a growing search for therapeutic targets in the treatment of gout. The present study aimed to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential of angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) antagonism in an acute gout attack mouse model. Methods: Male wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice either with the AT2R antagonist, PD123319 (10 pmol/joint), or with vehicle injections, or AT2R KO mice, received intra-articular (IA) injection of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals (100 µg/joint), that induce the acute gout attack, and were tested for mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, spontaneous nociception and ankle edema development at several times after the injections. To test an involvement of AT2R in joint pain, mice received an IA administration of angiotensin II (0.05–5 nmol/joint) with or without PD123319, and were also evaluated for pain and edema development. Ankle joint tissue samples from mice undergoing the above treatments were assessed for myeloperoxidase activity, IL-1β release, mRNA expression analyses and nitrite/nitrate levels, 4 h after injections. Results: AT2R antagonism has robust antinociceptive effects on mechanical allodynia (44% reduction) and spontaneous nociception (56%), as well as anti-inflammatory effects preventing edema formation (45%), reducing myeloperoxidase activity (54%) and IL-1β levels (32%). Additionally, Agtr2tm1a mutant mice have largely reduced painful signs of gout. Angiotensin II administration causes pain and inflammation, which was prevented by AT2R antagonism, as observed in mechanical allodynia 4 h (100%), spontaneous nociception (46%), cold nociceptive response (54%), edema formation (83%), myeloperoxidase activity (48%), and IL-1β levels (89%). PD123319 treatment also reduces NO concentrations (74%) and AT2R mRNA levels in comparison with MSU untreated mice. Conclusion: Our findings show that AT2R activation contributes to acute pain in experimental mouse models of gout. Therefore, the antagonism of AT2R may be a potential therapeutic option to manage gout arthritis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2399-2410
Number of pages12
JournalInflammopharmacology
Volume30
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Sept 2022

Keywords

  • Arthritis
  • IL-1β
  • Inflammation
  • Monosodium urate crystals
  • Pain

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