title: Urokinase gene 3'-UTR T/C polymorphism is associated with urolithiasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study single nucleotide polymorphisms to investigate the possibility that urokinase is involved in the formation of urolithiasis, which, although lacking in genetic evidence, has been previously proposed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 153 patients with recurrent calcium stones and 105 controls were studied. Polymerase chain reaction-based restriction analysis was used to identify the C/T polymorphism of the urokinase gene, which is mapped on the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) on chromosome 10.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference was found in the distribution of the urokinase gene 3'-UTR C/T polymorphism frequency between patients with stones and normal controls (P <0.05). The odds ratio for the risk of the "T" allele in patients with stones was 3.088 (95% confidence interval 1.06 to 8.99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study demonstrate that the urokinase gene 3'-UTR "T" allele is associated with calcium stone disease. Individuals possessing the "T" allele have a higher incidence of calcium oxalate stone disease. The results of this study provide genetic evidence that the urokinase gene may play a role in stone formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, China Medical College Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fuu-Jen
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Cheng-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hsueh-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Huey-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002879:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D012008:Recurrence; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; D002118:Calcium