Endothelial Cell and Neutrophil Activation in Untreated Intercritical Patients With Gout

Endothelial cell and neutrophil profiles from subjects with intercritical gout and nongout individuals. (A) Volcano plot illustrating upregulated and downregulated mRNA expression from harvested endothelial cells (249 genes upregulated and 162 genes downregulated; adjusted P < 0.05). Of note, 4 upregulated genes from the gout group are marked: CXCL16, APAF1, IL18RAP, and IFI44, all of which are involved in the inflammatory response. (B) Heatmap comparing differential mRNA expression from harvested endothelial cells (adjusted P < 0.01). Heatmap genes are the same as seen in the volcano plot. (C) Results of gene ontology pathway analyses, illustrating the most common enriched endothelial cell function pathways. (A-C) Red = upregulated, cyan = downregulated. (D) Plasma markers of PMN activation and PMN surface expression of adhesion markers. aCD-11b: activated CD-11b; MMP-9: matrix metalloproteinase 9; MPO: myeloperoxidase; PMN: peripheral blood neutrophil; sL-selectin: soluble L-selectin.