Study of transcriptional effects of monosodium urate crystal (MSU) on HaCaT keratinocyte cell line.

Aim of the study was to characterize at a molecular level (changes in transcriptomes) the effect of monosodium urate crystal (MSU) on HaCaT keratinocyte cell line. This was adressed by using a culture model. The HaCaT cell line (human keratinocytes) was stimulated by MSU (1mg/mL) vs control for 12 hrs. By using genome-wide expression profiling, we identified deregulation of functionally relevant gene networks. HaCaT were obtained from Cell Lines Service (Eppelheim, Germany) and grown in DMEM medium (PAN biotech, Aidenbach, Germany) supplemented with 10% FBS (Life Technology, Grand Island, NY, USA), L-glutamine and non-essential amino acid. Before the treatment HaCaT cells were cultured in serum-free medium for 12hrs. HaCaT were treated with MSU (1mg/ml) vs DMEM control for 12hrs then submitted to RNA extration and gene expression profiling. Triplicate experiments were performed: HaCaT control (n=3), MSU-treated (n=3).