Molecular basis of oxidative stress in gouty arthropathy

Gout is a disorder of urate metabolism in which persistent high urate levels in the extracellular fluids result in the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystal in joints and periarticular tissues. In recent years, this disease represents an increasingly common health problem, so the pace of investigation in the field has accelerated tremendously. New research advances in the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia and in the understanding of how MSU crystals induce an acute gouty attack have been focused in this review on the processes of inflammation and involvement of the innate immune response; in addition, we discuss new knowledge about the role of the reactive oxygen species in establishing oxidative stress in MSU crystal-induced arthritis.