Harmeet Sidhu

Absence of Oxalobacter formigenes in cystic fibrosis patients: A risk factor for hyperoxaluria

BACKGROUND Patients with cystic fibrosis have an increased risk of hyperoxaluria, and of subsequent nephrocalcinosis and calcium-oxalate urolithiasis. Oxalate homoeostasis is controlled, in part, by the intestinal bacterium, Oxalobacter formigenes. The loss of this bacterium from the gut flora is associated with an increased risk of hyperoxaluria and calcium-oxalate urolithiasis. We investigated whether the absence of O. formigenes and the presence of hyperoxaluria are correlated in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. METHODS Stool specimens from 43 patients with CF aged 3-9 years and from 21 similarly aged healthy volunteers were examined for O. formigenes by culture and DNA analysis. At the same time, 24 h urine samples were collected and analysed for oxalate and other factors that promote or inhibit stone formation. FINDINGS 15 (71%) of 21 healthy volunteers but only seven (16%) of 43 CF patients were colonised with O. formigenes. Detection of O. formigenes in six of these seven patients required DNA-based identification, suggesting low numbers of colony-forming units, and the CF patient with normal numbers of O. formigenes was the only one of the 43 patients who had not been treated with antibiotics. All seven CF patients colonised with O. formigenes had normal urinary oxalate levels, but 19 (53%) of 36 patients not colonised with O. formigenes were hyperoxaluric, with the most severe hyperoxaluria occurring in young patients. INTERPRETATION Absence of O. formigenes from the intestinal tract of CF patients appears to lead to increased absorption of oxalate, thereby increasing the risk of hyperoxaluria and its complications (eg, nephrocalcinosis, urolithiasis). Prolonged widespread use of antibiotics, and alterations of the gastrointestinal tract that occur in CF, may induce a permanent decolonisation in CF patients.

RAPID REVERSAL OF HYPEROXALURIA IN A RAT MODEL AFTER PROBIOTIC ADMINISTRATION OF OXALOBACTER FORMIGENES

PURPOSE The gut inhabiting bacterium Oxalobacter formigenes may be a negative risk factor in recurrent calcium oxalate kidney stone disease that apparently maintains oxalic acid homeostasis in its host via the degradation of dietary oxalate. The possibility of using this bacterium as probiotic treatment to reduce urinary oxalate was investigated in a rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were placed on a diet supplemented with ammonium oxalate to induce a state of severe hyperoxaluria. Subgroups of these rats received an esophageal gavage of 1 x 10(3), 10(5), 10(7) or 10(9) O. formigenes per feeding for a 2-week period. Each rat was followed for general health and changes in urinary oxalate. RESULTS Rats with chronic hyperoxaluria resulting from high dietary oxalate that were treated with O. formigenes showed decreased urinary oxalate within 2 days of initiating probiotic supplementation. The amount of the decrease in a 2-week period proved directly proportional to the dose of bacteria. Urinary oxalate in rats receiving higher amounts of O. formigenes returned to almost normal. Throughout the study the rats remained healthy with no signs of toxicity, antibody development or a histopathological condition. CONCLUSIONS Probiotic treatment of hyperoxaluric rats with O. formigenes may significantly and rapidly reduce the level of oxalate in the urine. This probiotic treatment appears to be safe and well tolerated. The approach may be feasible for treating calcium oxalate kidney stone disease.

Urinary oxalate excretion in urolithiasis and nephrocalcinosis

AIMS To investigate urinary oxalate excretion in children with urolithiasis and/or nephrocalcinosis and to classify hyperoxaluria (HyOx). METHODS A total of 106 patients were screened. In those in whom the oxalate: creatinine ratio was increased, 24 hour urinary oxalate excretion was measured. Liver biopsy and/or genomic analysis was performed if primary hyperoxaluria (PH) was suspected. Stool specimens were examined forOxalobacter formigenes in HyOx not related to PH type 1 or 2 (PH1, PH2) and in controls. RESULTS A total of 21 patients screened had HyOx (>0.5 mmol/24 h per 1.73 m2); they were classified into five groups. Eleven had PH (PH1 in nine and neither PH1 nor PH2 in two). Six had secondary HyOx: two enteric and four dietary. Four could not be classified. Seven patients had concomitant hypercalciuria. Only one of 12 patients was colonised withO formigenes compared to six of 13 controls. CONCLUSIONS HyOx is an important risk factor for urolithiasis and nephrocalcinosis in children, and can coexist with hypercalciuria. A novel type of PH is proposed. Absence of O formigenes may contribute to HyOx not related to PH1.

The role of Oxalobacter formigenes colonization in calcium oxalate stone disease

About 75% of urinary stones contain oxalate. As Oxalobacter formigenes is a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium that degrades oxalate in the intestinal tract, we assessed the role of O. formigenes in oxalate metabolism by evaluating its intestinal absorption, plasma concentration, and urinary excretion. Of 37 calcium oxalate stone formers, 26 tested negative for O. formigenes and were compared with the 11 patients who tested positive. Patients provided 24-h urine samples on both a self-selected and a standardized diet. Urinary oxalate excretion did not differ significantly on the self-selected diet, but was significantly lower in O. formigenes-positive than in O. formigenes-negative patients under controlled, standardized conditions. Intestinal oxalate absorption, measured using [(13)C₂]oxalate, was similar in the patients with or without O. formigenes. Plasma oxalate concentrations were significantly higher in noncolonized (5.79 μmol/l) than in colonized stone formers (1.70 μmol/l). Colonization with O. formigenes was significantly inversely associated with the number of stone episodes. Our findings suggest that O. formigenes lowers the intestinal concentration of oxalate available for absorption at constant rates, resulting in decreased urinary oxalate excretion. Thus, dietary factors have an important role in urinary oxalate excretion. The data indicate that O. formigenes colonization may reduce the risk of stone recurrence.

Absence of Oxalobacter Formigenes in Cystic Fibrosis Patients: A Risk Factor for Hyperoxaluria

Summary Background Patients with cystic fibrosis have an increased risk of hyperoxaluria, and of subsequent nephrocalcinosis and calcium-oxalate urolithiasis. Oxalate homoeostasis is controlled, in part, by the intestinal bacterium, Oxalobacter formigenes. The loss of this bacterium from the gut flora is associated with an increased risk of hyperoxaluria and calcium-oxalate urolithiasis. We investigated whether the absence of O formigenes and the presence of hyperoxaluria are correlated in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Methods Stool specimens from 43 patients with CF aged 3–9 years and from 21 similarly aged healthy volunteers were examined for O formigenes by culture and DNA analysis. At the same time, 24 h urine samples were collected and analysed for oxalate and other factors that promote or inhibit stone formation. Findings 15 (71%) of 21 healthy volunteers but only seven (16%) of 43 CF patients were colonised with O formigenes. Detection of O formigenes in six of these seven patients required DNA-based identification, suggesting low numbers of colony-forming units, and the CF patient with normal numbers of O formigenes was the only one of the 43 patients who had not been treated with antibiotics. All seven CF patients colonised with O formigenes had normal urinary oxalate levels, but 19 (53%) of 36 patients not colonised with O formigenes were hyperoxaluric, with the most severe hyperoxaluria occurring in young patients. Interpretation Absence of O formigenes from the intestinal tract of CF patients appears to lead to increased absorption of oxalate, thereby increasing the risk of hyperoxaluria and its complications (eg, nephrocalcinosis, urolithiasis). Prolonged widespread use of antibiotics, and alterations of the gastrointestinal tract that occur in CF, may induce a permanent decolonisation in CF patients.