Probiotic supplements prevented oxonic acid-induced hyperuricemia and renal damage

PLoS One. 2018 Aug 24;13(8):e0202901. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202901. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Hyperuricemia is highly prevalent and especially common in subjects with metabolic, cardiovascular and renal diseases. In chronic kidney disease, hyperuricemia is extremely common, and uric acid (UA) excretion relies on gut uricolysis by gut microbiota. Current therapy for lowering serum UA includes drugs that may produce undesired secondary effects. Therefore, this pilot study was designed to evaluate the potential of two probiotic supplements to reduce systemic uric acid concentrations. Secondary objectives were to assess whether the hypouricemic effect related to a therapeutic benefit on the hyperuricemia-induced renal damage and hypertension. Analysis of fecal microbiota was also performed. Groups of 6 rats each were followed for 5 weeks and allocated in the following treatment groups: C = Control; HU-ND = Oxonic acid-induced hyperuricemia (HU) +regular diet; HU-P = HU+placebo; HU-F1 = HU+ probiotics formula 1 and HU-F2 = HU+ probiotics formula 2. We confirmed that oxonic acid-induced hyperuricemia produced hypertension and renal functional and structural changes, along with modest changes in the overall composition of fecal microbiota. Both probiotic-containing diets prevented HU, elevated UA urinary excretion and intrarenal UA accumulation induced by oxonic acid. The hypouricemic effect conferred by probiotic supplementation also prevented the renal changes and hypertension caused by hyperuricemia. However, probiotic treatment did not restore the fecal microbiota. In conclusion, we demonstrated for the first time the ability of probiotics containing uricolytic bacteria to lower serum uric acid in hyperuricemic animals with beneficial consequences on blood pressure and renal disease. As probiotics supplements are innocuous for human health, we recommend clinical studies to test if probiotic supplements could benefit hyperuricemic individuals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytoprotection / drug effects
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Hyperuricemia / chemically induced*
  • Hyperuricemia / metabolism
  • Hyperuricemia / pathology
  • Hyperuricemia / prevention & control*
  • Kidney / drug effects*
  • Kidney / injuries*
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Male
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Oxonic Acid / adverse effects*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Probiotics / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Uric Acid / metabolism

Substances

  • Uric Acid
  • Oxonic Acid

Grants and funding

This work was funded by Kibow Biotech. The funder had a role in the study design, provided the experimental diets, participated in the preparation of the manuscript and approved the final version of the manuscript. The funder (Kibow Biotech, Inc) provided support in the form of salaries for authors [NR, PR, UV, AI], manufactured all product formula for testing and completely funded the study for extending the positive in-vitro lab results to the in-vivo rat models, but did have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.