title: Melamine-induced urolithiasis in a  Drosophila  model.
abstract: Melamine-tainted food can induce renal stones in both humans and animals. We have previously reported a novel  Drosophila  model for the study of renal stone disease. In addition to hyperoxaluria-causing agents, we also tested herein the effect of melamine on crystal formation in  Drosophila . The results indicate that administration of melamine alone caused crystal formation in a dose-dependent manner. The crystals also appeared after ingestion of melamine for 3 weeks in the Malpighian tubules of  Drosophila  when viewed with polarized light. Administration of potassium citrate (K citrate) was found to significantly ameliorate the melamine-induced reduction of lifespan. However, administration of K citrate failed to reduce the quantity of crystals. Because calcium oxalate is not the major crystal induced by melamine, the predominant components of melamine-induced crystals and the potential crystal inhibitors warrant further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei-Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Huey-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chiao-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Fuu-Jen
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Kee-Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Man
authors.forename: Jui-Lung
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yung-Hsiang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004330:Drosophila / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019357:Potassium Citrate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014227:Triazines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014227:Triazines; D002129:Calcium Oxalate; D019357:Potassium Citrate; C011907:melamine