How Altered Microbiome Can Raise Kidney Stone Formation?

Nephrolithiasis, often known as kidney stone, is a common ailment that causes severe morbidity and leaves financial burden on the healthcare system. In recent decades, it has become increasingly prevalent, especially in young women and children. Notably, kidney stone disease is linked to the human microbiota; however, a consensus regarding the mechanisms behind this relationship remains elusive. In light of this, a recent study from Western University and Lawson Health Research Institute reveals that changes in the microbiome in various parts of the body are associated with kidney stones (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Multi-site microbiota alteration is a hallmark of kidney stone formation

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Mechanics Behind Kidney Stone Formation

The most prevalent cause of kidney stones is calcium oxalate , a waste product that the body generates. The majority of research on the role of gut bacteria in kidney stone disease has been on their possible capacity to handle oxalate and their stronger correlation with antibiotic exposure.

Kidney stones were formerly believed to be due to the inefficient functioning of specific gut microbes like the bacterium Oxalobacter formigenes that break down oxalate. But the study enumerates other factors.

How Modified Microbiome Network Cause Kidney Stone Disease?

The study team compared the gut, urine, and salivary microbiomes of 83 kidney stone patients with those of 30 healthy controls. Participants in the study comprised those who had developed kidney stones, had not been exposed to antibiotics within the previous 90 days, and were undergoing surgery to remove the stones.

The types of bacteria found in the stomach and their genetic makeup, or mode of operation, were identified by a test technique known as shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Additionally, basic sequencing of the microbiome in the urine and oral samples was also conducted.

According to the findings, in healthy individuals, the microorganisms form a kind of network that is stable and beneficial; however, in kidney stone patients, this network is broken down. Not just in the stomach but also in the urinary tract and oral cavity, they fail to produce the same vitamins and beneficial metabolites.

In addition to having a gut microbiome that was more prone to dump toxins into the kidneys, kidney stone formers also had an unhealthy microbiome that made them more susceptible to antimicrobial agents.

The study team notes that while additional research is required, these preliminary results highlight the significance of maintaining a person's microbiome in good condition, with a diet that is friendly to the microbiome and minimal antibiotic use.

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In conclusion, kidney stone disease is characterized by multi-site microbiota modification and to prevent stone recurrence, treatment should consider microbial functional restoration as well as avoiding aberrant modulators like a poor diet and antibiotics when necessary.

Reference:

1. Multi-site microbiota alteration is a hallmark of kidney stone formation - (https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-023-01703-x)

Source-Medindia