Effects of allopurinol on renal stone formation and osteopontin expression in a rat urolithiasis model.
BACKGROUND
The inhibitory effect of allopurinol on calcium oxalate urolithiasis has been reported, but its effect on stone matrix proteins has not been studied in vivo. To clarify the effect of allopurinol on the matrix, we investigated its effect on the expression of osteopontin (OPN), which we previously identified as an important stone matrix protein.


METHODS
Control rats were not treated. Rats of the stone group were given ethylene glycol (EG) and vitamin D(3), while the allopurinol groups (low-dose group and high-dose group) were treated with allopurinol in addition to receiving EG and vitamin D(3).


RESULTS
The rate of renal stone formation was lower in the allopurinol groups than in the stone group. This was associated with a low expression of OPN mRNA in allopurinol-treated rats relative to that in the stone group.


CONCLUSIONS
Allopurinol was effective in preventing calcium oxalate stone formation and reduced OPN expression in rats. Our results suggest that allopurinol prevents renal stone formation by acting against not only the control of oxalate but also OPN expression.
Department of Urology, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Japan. yasui@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp
T
T
Yasui
M
M
Sato
K
K
Fujita
Y
Y
Ito
S
S
Nomura
K
K
Kohri
D000493:Allopurinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D053495:Osteopontin; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; C506897:Spp1 protein, rat; D053495:Osteopontin; D002129:Calcium Oxalate; D000493:Allopurinol