ABSTRACT
Aim To study the effects of extracellular acidosis on articular chondrocytes pyroptosis and its possible mechanisms. Methods Primary articular chondrocytes were incubated in different pH and NAC. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-18, ASC, NLRP3, caspase-1 were detected by Western blot and real-time PCR. The state of pyropto-sis was identified by AO/EB staining and LDH con-tents. The expression of ROS was observed by DCFH-DA, and ELISA was used to detect the IL-1β,IL-18 in cultured supernatants. Results Compared with the normal cell, extracellular acidosis could increase the expression of IL-1β, IL-18, ASC, NLRP3 and caspase-1 , upregulate the fluorescence intensity of in-tercellular ROS, accompanied with the promoted release of LDH. Moreover, it is observed that extra-cellular acidosis could also induce chondrocytes death by AO/EB staining. NAC,the scavenger of ROS could inhibit these effects of extracellular acidosis on chon-drocytes. Conclusion Extracellular acidosis may in-duce chondrocyte pyroptosis via upregulating the intra-cellular ROS content.