Correlation analysis of PGC-1β, HIF-1α and RETN with the degree of joint destruction in gouty arthritis.

BACKGROUND: To explore the expression levels of resistin (RETN), hypoxia-inducible factor-la (HIF -lα ), and peroxi-some proliferator-activated receptor g coactivator-1β (PGCip ) in gouty arthritis (GA) patients and to analyse their cor-relations with the degree of joint destruction. METHODS: The GA group consisted of 134 patients with GA who were admitted to the hospital between January 2023 and October 2024, while the control group consisted of 134 healthy patients who underwent physical examination in the hospital over the same time period. Serum PGC-1β, HIF-1α, and RETN expression levels were compared. The expression levels of PGC-1β, HIF-1a and RETN in the serum and synovial fluid of patients with different clinical characteristics in the GA group were compared. The degree of joint destruction was categorised into 78 cases in the severe GA subgroup and 56 cases in the mild GA subgroup based on the VAS score of the chief complaint pain scale. Compared with PGC-1β, HIF-1α, RETN, and bone destruction factors [β-crosslinking degradation products (P-CTX), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TRACP5b), and nuclear factor p receptor activator ligand (RANKL)], and inflammatory factors with different degrees of joint destruction, the expression levels of 1p (IL-1 β) were analysed. The correlations between PGC-1β, HIF-1α, and RETN in serum and synovial fluid, as well as the degree of joint destruction, bone destruction factors, and inflamma-tory factors, were analysed. RESULTS: The expression level of serum PGC-1β in the GA group was lower than that in the control group, while the expression levels of serum HIF-1α and RETN were greater than those in the control group (P< 0.05). The expression levels of PGC-1β in the serum of GA patients at different clinical stages, affected joints, disease courses and annual attack frequencies. The expression levels of β-CTX and TRACP5b in the serum of GA patients at different clinical stages, affected joints, disease courses and annual attack frequencies, and in the severe GA subgroup were greater than those in the mild GA subgroup (P< 0.05). RANKL expression was lower than in the mild GA subgroup (P< 0.05). The serum and synovial fluid levels of PGC-1 β, P-CTX, TRACP5b, TNF-α, and IL-1β were negatively cor-related with the degree of joint destruction and positively cor-related with the level of RANKL. HIF-1α and RETN exhibited a negative correlation with RANKL and a positive correlation with the degree of joint degradation, as well as with β-CTX, TRACP5b, TNF-α, and IL-1β. CONCLUSIONS: PGC-1β, HIF-1α and RETN are abnormally expressed in patients with GA and are closely related to the degree of joint destruction, bone destruction factors and inflammatory factors. They are expected to become reli-able indicators for evaluating the occurrence and progres-sion of GA.