Inclusion of proteins into calcium oxalate crystals precipitated from human urine: a highly selective phenomenon

1991 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 1589-1594 ◽  
Author(s):  
I R Doyle ◽  
R L Ryall ◽  
V R Marshall

Abstract The abundance of protein in the matrix of calcium oxalate uroliths has fueled speculation regarding its role in stone genesis. In this study, we wanted to characterize the composition of the proteins associated with early stages of calcium oxalate crystallization in urine. Calcium oxalate crystallization was induced in urine from healthy men and women by the addition of an oxalate load. The crystals were harvested and demineralized, and the proteins remaining were separated and characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. Most urinary proteins were not detected in the crystals or were present in only small quantities. The most abundant urinary macromolecule, Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein, was notably absent from the crystal extracts. The predominant protein associated with the crystals, a previously unknown urinary constituent that we call crystal matrix protein (CMP; molecular mass, 30,000 Da), was more prevalent in the crystals derived from female urine. We conclude that most urinary proteins play no direct role in calcium oxalate crystal formation. However, the protein CMP exhibits a remarkable affinity for calcium oxalate crystals and may be important in stone pathogenesis.

Author(s):  
H. J. Arnott ◽  
M. A. Webb ◽  
L. E. Lopez

Many papers have been published on the structure of calcium oxalate crystals in plants, however, few deal with the early development of crystals. Large numbers of idioblastic calcium oxalate crystal cells are found in the leaves of Vitis mustangensis, V. labrusca and V. vulpina. A crystal idioblast, or raphide cell, will produce 150-300 needle-like calcium oxalate crystals within a central vacuole. Each raphide crystal is autonomous, having been produced in a separate membrane-defined crystal chamber; the idioblast''s crystal complement is collectively embedded in a water soluble glycoprotein matrix which fills the vacuole. The crystals are twins, each having a pointed and a bidentate end (Fig 1); when mature they are about 0.5-1.2 μn in diameter and 30-70 μm in length. Crystal bundles, i.e., crystals and their matrix, can be isolated from leaves using 100% ETOH. If the bundles are treated with H2O the matrix surrounding the crystals rapidly disperses.


1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Hallson ◽  
G. A. Rose ◽  
S. Sulaiman

1. Samples of fresh human urine were treated with immobilized uricase to lower urate concentration. Urate was added to yield low, normal and high urate samples. 2. Each sample was rapidly evaporated at pH 5.3 to standard osmolality and the yield of calcium oxalate crystals measured either by semi-quantitative microscopy or fully quantitative radioisotope techniques. 3. Increase of urinary urate did not increase the calcium oxalate crystals formed and may even have had an opposite effect. 4. Allantoin was without significant effect upon calcium oxalate crystal formation. 5. These data provide no support for the suggestion that reducing urate concentrations in the urine may be of value in treatment of patients with calcium oxalate stones.


Author(s):  
H. J. Arnott ◽  
K. D. Whitney

Calcium oxalate crystals are often found in association with fungal hyphae. In examining leaf litter samples with the use of scanning electron microscopy, Graustein et al. demonstrated that hyphae of some basidiomycetes are often encrusted with conspicuous calcium oxalate deposits and postulated that these crystals were formed when oxalate released by the fungus precipitated with free calcium ions in the environment. Studies by Arnott and Arnott and Webb, however, showed that at least some calcium oxalate crystals produced by these fungi arose within the fungal cell wall. These studies revealed that the crystals were enclosed within a thin layer of wall material during development, and it was hypothesized that the growth of the crystals is under direct control of the fungal cell.


1995 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 533-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary L. Ryall ◽  
Phulwinder K. Grover ◽  
Alan M. F. Stapleton ◽  
Dianne K. Barrell ◽  
Yulu Tang ◽  
...  

1. The urinary F1 activation peptide of prothrombin is the predominant protein incorporated into calcium oxalate crystals precipitated from human urine. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of pure urinary prothrombin F1 on calcium oxalate crystallization in human urine. 2. Urinary prothrombin F1 was purified from demineralized calcium oxalate crystals precipitated from human urine, and its effects on calcium oxalate crystallization induced by addition of an oxalate load were tested in undiluted, ultrafiltered urine from healthy men, at final concentrations of 0 to 10 mg/l. 3. Urinary prothrombin F1 did not affect the amount of oxalate required to induce crystallization, but the volume of material deposited increased in proportion to increasing concentrations of urinary prothrombin F1. However, the mean particle size decreased in reverse order: this was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, which showed it to be the result of a reduction in crystal aggregation rather than in the size of individual crystals. Analysis of 14C-oxalate data revealed a dose-dependent decrease in calcium oxalate deposition with an increase in urinary prothrombin F1 concentration, indicating that the increase in particle volume recorded by the Coulter Counter resulted from inclusion of urinary prothrombin F1 into the crystalline architecture, rather than increased deposition of calcium oxalate. 4. It was concluded that urinary prothrombin F1 may be an important macromolecular determinant of stone formation.


2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary Lyons Ryall ◽  
Phulwinder K. Grover ◽  
Lauren A. Thurgood ◽  
Magali C. Chauvet ◽  
David E. Fleming ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (01) ◽  
pp. 77-81
Author(s):  
Asheesh Kumar Gupta ◽  
Preeti Kothiyal

Objectives: The plant Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. Family: Bignoniaceae is used in traditional medical practices of Africa and India to treat various diseases including renal disorders. The present study is designed to evaluate the effect of K. africana fruit extract (KAFE) for in-vitro anti-urolithic activity on generated calcium-oxalate crystals. Method: The aqueous and alcoholic (ethanolic) extracts of fruits were tested for anti-urolithiatic potential on generated calcium-oxalate crystals by homogenous precipitation method and simultaneously a supporting two step vice-versa reactions were assessed (New method). The activity was assessed by studying the crystal dissolution by microscopy and quantitative alimental ions analysis for calcium and oxalates. Result: They exhibited significant activity when compared to standard drug Cystone- a poly herbal formulation. The aqueous and alcoholic extracts significantly decreased (p 0.001) crystal size and increased calcium and oxalate concentration in reaction setup of all tested groups as compared to normal control. Simultaneously a supporting two step vice-versa reaction was assessed that have shown significant inhibition of crystal formation. Conclusion: All the interpretations of various result outcomes direct the use of this drug for urolithiasis prophylaxis and treatments.


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