Objectives: To study the effect of urinary uric acid-binding proteins of controls and stone formers on calcium oxalate crystal nucleation and aggregation.
Materials and methods: Urine samples were collected over 24 h from 20 stone formers and from 20 age-matched normal controls. Uric acid crystallization was induced by adding equal volumes of 2.5 mmol/L uric acid. The bound proteins were separated on a cellulose column, and by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The effect of the separated fractions on calcium oxalate crystal nucleation and aggregation was assessed.
Results: The protein bound to unit mass of uric acid crystals was higher in hyperoxaluric urine than in control urine. On cellulose-column separation, the uric acid-crystal binding proteins produced three major protein peaks, i.e. fraction I (buffer), fraction II (0.05 mol/L sodium chloride in Tris-HCl buffer) and fraction III (0.3 mol/L sodium chloride in buffer), with a minor peak obtained on elution with increasing concentrations of sodium chloride in Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.0). Fraction I derived from either stone formers or controls promoted calcium oxalate crystallization. Fraction II from the control samples was a strong inhibitor, whereas hyperoxaluric fraction II was less inhibitory.
Conclusion: Uric acid-binding proteins isolated either from the urine of stone formers or controls modulated calcium oxalate crystal growth. Proteins isolated from stone formers were less inhibitory of crystal nucleation and aggregation. These proteins may act as a bridge, leading to the epitaxial deposition of calcium oxalate over a urate core.