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Crystal structure of monoclinic calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (m-CPPD) involved in inflammatory reactions and
Pierre Gras1, Christian Rey1, Gilles André2
1CIRIMAT, UMR 5085 INPT-CNRS-UPS, Université de Toulouse, INPT-ENSIACET, Toulouse, France.
Abstract:
Pure monoclinic calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (m-CPPD) has been synthesized and characterized by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction. Rietveld refinement of complementary diffraction data has, for the first time, allowed the crystal structure of m-CPPD to be solved. The monoclinic system P2(1)/n was confirmed and unit-cell parameters determined: a = 12.60842 (4), b = 9.24278 (4), c = 6.74885 (2) Å and β = 104.9916 (3)°. Neutron diffraction data especially have allowed the precise determination of the position of H atoms in the structure. The relationship between the m-CPPD crystal structure and that of the triclinic calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (t-CPPD) phase as well as other pyrophosphate phases involving other divalent cations are discussed by considering the inflammatory potential of these phases and/or their involvement in different diseases. These original structural data represent a key step in the understanding of the mechanisms of crystal formation involved in different types of arthritis and to improve early detection of calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) phases in vivo.
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