Nanobacteria: an infectious cause for kidney stone formation

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Nephrology
• Biomineralization

Background:

• Nanobacteria are cytotoxic, gram-negative bacteria found in blood.
• They produce carbonate apatite, a component of kidney stones.
• Previous data suggested apatite's role in kidney stone initiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and role of nanobacteria in kidney stone formation.
• To analyze nanobacteria's ability to form mineral deposits.

Main Methods:

• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to compare nanobacteria and kidney stone units.
• Demineralization and culture methods to detect nanobacteria in kidney stones.
• In vitro tests using calcium and strontium incorporation to analyze mineral formation.

Main Results:

• SEM showed morphological similarities between nanobacteria and apatite units in stones.
• Nanobacterial antigens were detected in 97.2% of kidney stones, with high resistance to demineralization.
• Isolated nanobacteria produced apatite in vitro, confirmed by calcium and strontium incorporation.

Conclusions:

• Kidney stone formation is proposed as a nanobacterial disease.
• This is analogous to Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer disease.
• Bacterial infection initiates stone formation, influenced by host factors.