UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-05DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01741-0
Man Cao, Yan Chen, Xudong Shen
{"title":"Association between ZJU index and kidney stone prevalence in the Chinese adult population: a retrospective propensity score-matched analysis.","authors":"Man Cao, Yan Chen, Xudong Shen","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01741-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01741-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study aimed to explore the association between the ZJU (Zhejiang University) index and the prevalence of kidney stones in Chinese adults. Electronic health records of individuals undergoing routine physical examinations at Wuhu Second People's Hospital between January 2021 and June 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Participants were divided into kidney stone recurrence and non-recurrence groups. Data on biochemical parameters, hypertension, and diabetes history were collected, and group differences were assessed using the chi-square test or Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test. Logistic regression, propensity score matching, and dose-response curve modeling were used to evaluate the relationship between the ZJU index and kidney stone prevalence. Among 5,104 participants aged over 18 years, 462 were diagnosed with kidney stones. After adjusting for confounders, a higher ZJU index was identified as an independent risk factor for kidney stone prevalence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.08). Propensity score-matched analysis further confirmed this association (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.13). Dose-response analysis revealed a positive linear relationship between the ZJU index and kidney stone recurrence. These findings suggest that elevated ZJU index levels are associated with a higher prevalence and recurrence of kidney stones, highlighting its potential as a clinical tool for identifying and managing at-risk patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143789259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-05DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01736-x
Sabrina T Reis, William M Simões, Poliana Romão, Patrícia Candido, Lucca J Zampolli, Vanessa R Guimarães, Daniel Ayres, Ruan Pimenta, Katia Ramos Moreira Leite, William C Nahas, Eduardo Mazzucchi
{"title":"Analysis of microRNA expression in patients with uric acid calculi.","authors":"Sabrina T Reis, William M Simões, Poliana Romão, Patrícia Candido, Lucca J Zampolli, Vanessa R Guimarães, Daniel Ayres, Ruan Pimenta, Katia Ramos Moreira Leite, William C Nahas, Eduardo Mazzucchi","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01736-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01736-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Uric acid calculi (UAC) account for about 10% of cases worldwide, although this varies among countries. The etiology of nephrolithiasis is multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Kidney stones occur three times more frequently in individuals with a family history of the condition compared to those without such a history. Genetic factors also contribute to cases of UAC. Genes such as ZNF365, SLC2A9 and SLC22A12 may be associated with the development of uric acid stones. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules, that play a significant role in regulating gene expression. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression profile of miRNAs associated with the SLC2A9, SLC22A12 and ZNF365 genes in patients with uric lithiasis. Twenty-two patients with pure uric stones and 8 controls with no history of lithiasis were included, all of whom consented voluntarily. To analyze the gene expression levels of the microRNAs studied, total RNA was obtained using the miRVana<sup>®</sup>miRNA kit, following the manufacturer's guidelines. qPCR analyses were then carried out using specific probes for the selected microRNAs. When comparing clinical characteristics, patients with nephrolithiasis had significant hyperuricemia (p < 0.0001) and more acidic urine (p = 0.0012). Lower urinary citrate excretion was also observed in patients with nephrolithiasis (p = 0.0047). With regard to microRNA expression data, statistically significant under-expression was observed in patients with calculi of microRNAs 143-3p (p = 0.015), 4770 (p = 0.0194), 4750-3p (p = 0.037), 301b-5p (p = < 0.0001) and 9-5p (p = 0.0015). In addition, microRNAs 4770 and 4750-3p were underexpressed in individuals with multiple stones (p = 0.0197, p = 0.0023 respectively). In relation to miR-4750-3p, it was also overexpressed in cases with stones larger than 2 cm (p = 0.0557). With the results of our study, we can conclude that the microRNAs 143-3p, 4770, 4750-3p, 301b-5p and 9-5p may be associated with the development of uric lithiasis. In addition, under-expression of microRNAs 4770 and 4750-3p is associated with the occurrence of multiple stones, while over-expression of miR-4750-3p is related to the formation of stones larger than 2 cm.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143789255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-05DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01737-w
Aylin Gencler, Hakim Celik, Abit Demir
{"title":"Evaluating serum S-Equol, indoxyl sulfate, and TMAO in predicting urinary stones in children: a prospective study.","authors":"Aylin Gencler, Hakim Celik, Abit Demir","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01737-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00240-025-01737-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gut microbiota is vital in maintaining health and has been implicated in urinary stone disease. Patients with and without stones have different microbial compositions. In this context, we assessed serum levels of S-equol, indoxyl sulfate (IS), and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which are metabolites thought to be associated with gut microbiota, and their prognostic values in predicting stone formation in children with urinary stone disease. The study population consisted of children aged between one month and 18 years with urinary stone disease. The patient group consisted of 44 children with urinary stone disease, and the control group consisted of 44 healthy children who were matched with the patient group in terms of age and gender. The study's primary outcomes were the differences between the groups in serum metabolite levels. Serum S-equol and TMAO levels were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group. There was no significant difference between the groups in serum IS levels. There were also no significant correlations between serum metabolite levels and age in either group. Children with urinary stone disease had significantly lower serum S-equol and TMAO levels than healthy control subjects, suggesting a possible link between these metabolites and stone formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"68"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11972205/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143789263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01738-9
Haotian Huang, Zhi Wen, Hongyuan Li, Chongjian Wang, Caixia Chen, Yang Liu, Jiao Qin, Song Cao, Xuesong Yang
{"title":"Effect of the plasma metabolites, biomarkers, and inflammatory proteins on urolithiasis: insights from Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis.","authors":"Haotian Huang, Zhi Wen, Hongyuan Li, Chongjian Wang, Caixia Chen, Yang Liu, Jiao Qin, Song Cao, Xuesong Yang","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01738-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01738-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Urolithiasis represents a systemic disorder characterized by metabolic circulation issues and ongoing inflammation. The purpose of this research is to explore the relationships of causation among plasma metabolites, biomarkers, inflammatory proteins, and stones within the urinary system. We initially carried out a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to evaluate possible causal connections between 233 plasma metabolites and 35 biomarkers related to urolithiasis. The genetic association study (GWAS) data concerning plasma metabolites were derived from a 2024 publication in Nature, while data for biomarkers were collected from the UK Biobank. To determine causal relationships, we utilized several analytical techniques, including inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode. Furthermore, we conducted analyses for pleiotropy and heterogeneity to ensure the findings' robustness. A Steiger analysis was used to explore the presence of any reverse causal relationships. Lastly, we conducted mediation analysis to elucidate how inflammatory proteins mediate the associations between plasma metabolites, biomarkers, and stones in the urinary system. Our research demonstrates causal connections between six plasma metabolites and six biomarkers related to upper urinary tract stones. Furthermore, we identified causal associations between ten plasma metabolites and four biomarkers linked to lower urinary tract stones. Most of these metabolites belong to lipid and lipoprotein classes, indicating that changes in blood lipid levels may influence stone formation. Finally, mediation analysis revealed 13 mediating relationships, including the mediating effects of six inflammatory proteins. Our results provide evidence for the causal links among plasma metabolites, biomarkers, and inflammatory proteins associated with urolithiasis. This provides new insights into the potential mechanisms underlying urinary system stone formation, contributing to their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143754186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01740-1
Hakan Bahadir Haberal, Senol Tonyali
{"title":"Letter to Editor: Comparison of flexible vacuum-assisted ureteral access sheath versus conventional sheath combined with single-use flexible ureteroscope in the treatment of renal calculi.","authors":"Hakan Bahadir Haberal, Senol Tonyali","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01740-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01740-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143754188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Brown adipose tissue detection using positron emission tomography could help reduce urolithiasis risk.","authors":"Teruaki Sugino, Kazumi Taguchi, Takahiro Yanase, Rei Unno, Ryosuke Ando, Takahiro Yasui","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01739-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01739-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Urolithiasis is associated with metabolic syndrome, and reactivation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) may improve metabolic syndrome. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of BAT, as detected using positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), with urolithiasis in humans. This single center retrospective cohort study involved patients who underwent PET-CT for cancer screening as part of a medical checkup between January 2006 and December 2020. We obtained data on participant demographics, presence of urolithiasis, and metabolic factors (such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia) from 182 medical records. BAT data and calcification of the abdominal aorta (CAA) rate, determined using abdominal CT, were also recorded. Any association between urolithiasis and other factors was evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Body mass index was higher in participants with BAT than in those without BAT (26.92 vs. 22.86 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, p = 0.001). Participants with BAT had less urolithiasis and a lower CAA rate than those without BAT (10% vs. 37%, p = 0.031 and 50% vs. 79.6%, p = 0.008, respectively). Metabolic factors between the groups were similar (45.0% vs. 48.8%, p = 0.936). Furthermore, BAT and age were associated with a decreased odds ratio (OR) for urolithiasis (OR = 0.186, p = 0.037 and OR = 0.959, p = 0.02, respectively). We demonstrated that high BAT content is associated with a low risk of urolithiasis and CAA. Our findings may contribute to the development of novel preventive methods for urolithiasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143754026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neutrophils as mediators of the association between lipid accumulation product and kidney stones, but not for recurrent kidney stones in US adults.","authors":"Shang Gao, Jingteng He, Hongtao Liu, Lianhui Fan, Renli Tian","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01735-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01735-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Kidney stones (KS) are prevalent and often recur, with obesity, metabolic disorders, and inflammation significantly impacting their pathophysiology. The traditional body mass index (BMI) has limitations, as it cannot effectively differentiate between fat and lean body mass or provide information about fat distribution. In contrast, the lipid accumulation product (LAP), which combines waist circumference and triglyceride levels, serves as a crucial indicator of visceral fat. This study examines the relationship between LAP and KS, including recurrent kidney stones (RKS), using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). It also investigates whether neutrophils mediate the connection between LAP and KS/RKS, comparing the predictive accuracy of LAP and BMI. Data from 2007 to 2014 covered 9910 KS participants and 880 RKS participants. Weighted logistic regression assessed the LAP-KS/RKS relationship, while mediation analysis explored the role of neutrophils. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves evaluated the predictive capabilities of LAP and BMI. Results showed LAP was significantly associated with KS (OR = 1.629; 95% CI 1.296-2.047) and RKS (OR = 1.561; 95% CI 1.145-2.128). Neutrophils partially mediated the LAP-KS relationship (7.6%, p = 0.018), with no effect found for RKS. Moreover, LAP outperformed BMI in diagnostic accuracy. These findings suggest that LAP is an effective marker for assessing KS and RKS, aiding in the early identification of potential patients to reduce the incidence and recurrence of kidney stones.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"62"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143754192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Klotho alleviates oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction through the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, thereby reducing renal senescence induced by calcium oxalate crystals.","authors":"Yuexian Xu, Jianmin You, Junfeng Yao, Bingbing Hou, Wei Wang, Zongyao Hao","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01734-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01734-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Klotho is an antiaging protein that is primarily secreted by the kidneys. This study aimed to explore the protective effects of Klotho against calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal-induced renal aging and the underlying mechanisms involved. We established a mouse model of CaOx crystal deposition via the intraperitoneal injection of glyoxylate (Gly) and constructed an in vitro model by stimulating HK2 cells with calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM). Renal aging levels were assessed through β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining and the detection of senescence-associated markers. By overexpressing Klotho both in vitro and in vivo, we examined oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and renal aging levels. We then evaluated the role of Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway-mediated oxidative stress in CaOx crystal-induced renal aging by applying the oxidative stress scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and overexpressing or inhibiting Nrf2 in HK2 cells. We subsequently overexpressed Klotho while inhibiting Nrf2 to confirm that Klotho exerts its protective effects through the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Finally, we measured the methylation levels of the Klotho promoter and assessed the degree of renal aging induced by CaOx crystals after the inhibition of Klotho DNA methylation. We found that the overexpression of Klotho alleviated CaOx crystal-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby reducing renal aging. NAC mitigated CaOx crystal-induced renal aging. The overexpression of Nrf2 alleviated CaOx crystal-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, thus reducing renal aging, whereas the knockdown of Nrf2 exacerbated CaOx crystal-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to more severe renal aging. The combination of Klotho overexpression and Nrf2 knockdown reversed the protective effects of Klotho. CaOx crystals induced an increase in the DNA methylation levels of Klotho in the kidneys, and the inhibition of DNA methylation alleviated CaOx-induced renal aging. This study revealed that Klotho plays a crucial role in calcium oxalate crystal-induced kidney senescence by influencing kidney oxidative stress and mitochondrial function through the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"61"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143744096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-03-26DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01700-9
Jolien Van der Jeugt, Coral Manso Aparicio, Sebastián Valverde Martínez, Amal Aderghal Chikhaoui, Enrique González Martín, Marcos Cepeda
{"title":"Access to the upper calyx in supine position: breaking a myth.","authors":"Jolien Van der Jeugt, Coral Manso Aparicio, Sebastián Valverde Martínez, Amal Aderghal Chikhaoui, Enrique González Martín, Marcos Cepeda","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01700-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01700-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The feasibility and safety of upper calyx access in supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) remains controversial. We aimed to detail our technique and describe the outcomes in effectivity as well as safety in a large cohort. The authors analyzed patients with renal and proximal ureteral stones who underwent supine PCNL using upper calyx access at Rio Hortega University Hospital Valladolid (Spain) between 2013 and 2023. Patients were placed in the Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia position. Transpapillary percutaneous access to the upper calyx was guided by a combination of ultrasound (US) and fluoroscopy. Stone-free rate (SFR) was assessed by residual fragments < 4 mm assessed by non-contrast CT scan (NCCT) two months postoperatively. The 30-days complications were classified using the PCNL-specific Clavien-Dindo score. One hundred patients were included in the study. Thirty-three (33.3%) were diagnosed with staghorn stones, and 44 (44.4%) with multiple calculi. Upper calyx access was achieved supra-11th rib in 31 (31.9%), supra-12th rib in 64 (66%) and subcostal in 2 (2.1%) cases. Miniaturized PCNL was performed in 64 (64.6%) patients. Median surgical time was 117.5 (100; 150) minutes. There were no intraoperative complications and in 62.1% of the cases, a nephrostomy tube was not necessary. The median hospital stay was 3 (1; 5) days. Twenty-seven postoperative complications occurred, including 8% grade I complications. Grade II complications including the need for blood transfusion and antibiotics occurred in 5% and 9%. Grade III complications were noted in 5%, and no grade IV or V were observed. There were no significant thoracic, liver or spleen complications. The single-procedure SFR was 85%, with only 3 patients requiring a second intervention. US and fluoroscopy guided percutaneous access to the upper calyx in the supine position is feasible and demonstrates a low complication rate alongside a high SFR.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"60"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143731900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of osteopontin in modulating macrophage phagocytosis of calcium oxalate crystals.","authors":"Tatsuya Hattori, Kazumi Taguchi, Ryosuke Chaya, Shuzo Hamamoto, Atsushi Okada, Takahiro Yasui","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01732-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01732-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In inflammation, osteopontin (OPN) acts as both a stone matrix component for calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal formation and an inflammatory mediator. While previous studies have demonstrated the individual roles of OPN and macrophages (Mφ) in renal CaOx stone formation during inflammation, their interaction remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the role of OPN in modulating Mφ function during crystal formation, using an ex vivo model. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) were isolated from eight-week-old male C57BL/6J wild-type and OPN knockout mice. BMDMs from OPN-positive (BMDM<sup>OPN+</sup>) and OPN-negative (BMDM<sup>OPN-</sup>) mice were co-cultured with fluorescently labeled CaOx monohydrate (COM) crystals for phagocytosis assays and analyzed using the IN Cell Analyzer 6000. We further performed real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR and RNA sequencing to identify gene expression profiles and clarify the role of OPN in Mφ function. The assay analysis demonstrated that phagocytosis rates were significantly higher in BMDM<sup>OPN-</sup> than in BMDM<sup>OPN+</sup>. Inflammatory markers, such as IL-6, TNF, CD44, were upregulated following COM exposure, and IL-6 expression was significantly lower in BMDM<sup>OPN-</sup> than in BMDM<sup>OPN+</sup>. RNA sequencing revealed that BMDM<sup>OPN-</sup> exhibited a less pro-inflammatory and more anti-inflammatory phenotype (Csf2<sup>low</sup>, Irf5<sup>low</sup>, Itgax<sup>low</sup>, Csf1<sup>high</sup>, Cd163<sup>high</sup>), resembling M2-like Mφs. Further functional analysis indicated that OPN knockdown in Mφs increased the S100 family and CREB signaling, which enhanced the M2-like phenotype shift and phagosome formation. In conclusion, OPN plays a critical role in enhancing pro-inflammatory Mφ function, potentially limiting COM phagocytosis. Modulating OPN expression in circulating Mφs may represent a therapeutic approach for kidney stone disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"58"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}