Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University researchers have unveiled new findings published in the journal Microbiome.
Their study reveals a compelling link between alterations in the body’s microorganisms—commonly called the Microbiome—and the development of kidney stones.
Both gut and urinary microbiota are pivotal factors in the genesis of kidney stones.
This implies that removing influencers like an unhealthy diet and excessive antibiotic usage could be preventive measures against recurring kidney stones.
Traditionally, the emphasis on kidney stone formation has been placed on specific gut bacteria, notably Oxalobacter formigenes, due to their association with calcium oxalate production.
However, these recent findings suggest a shift in focus towards understanding apparent systemic microbial imbalances for a more comprehensive approach to comprehending and averting the formation of kidney stones.
The study, detailed in Microbiome and published on November 25, 2023, was spearheaded by the first author, Dr Kait F. Al, PhD, from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Western Ontario, London. Dr. Al collaborated with colleagues to unravel the intricate connections between microbiota changes and kidney stone formation.
How was the study conducted?
The researchers delved into the microbiota of 83 individuals who underwent kidney stone removal surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ontario. They compared these findings with samples from 30 healthy controls recruited between August 2015 and January 2019 to establish a baseline.
Employing advanced techniques like shotgun metagenomic sequencing, the team identified distinct gut bacteria and explored their genetic capabilities. Simpler sequencing methods were applied to analyse oral and urinary microbiota samples.
The patients included in the study had not been exposed to antibiotics in the 90 days leading up to the research, ensuring a clearer understanding of their microbiota composition.
What were the results?
The study’s findings highlighted significant disparities in microbiota disturbances across all three microbiomes between individuals who formed kidney stones and those who did not.
Notably, those prone to kidney stones exhibited a higher prevalence of antibiotic-resistant genes, indicating a heightened exposure to antimicrobials.
Further analysis showed that individuals with kidney stones displayed diminished taxonomic and functional diversity compared to their healthy counterparts.
The core functional bioenergetic pathways in their gut and urinary microbiota were replaced by markers associated with virulence, and the community network of microbiota collapsed.
The authors speculated that these widespread shifts in microbial communities could be attributed to adverse environmental factors, particularly antibiotic exposure.
Intriguingly, no discernible differences were observed between the two groups concerning oxalate metabolism, a commonly implicated factor in kidney stone formation.
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