Effect of hyperoxaluria on the inhibitory activity of a 45-kD urinary protein

Proteins are thought to play a major role in stone formation and structurally abnormal proteins have been reported to be present in the urine of stone formers. This study was aimed to determine whether hyperoxaluria modifies the kinetic properties of urinary inhibitory proteins. Hyperoxaluria was induced by feeding 1% ethylene glycol to rats. Oxalate, uric acid and calcium excretion were increased progressively during hyperoxaluria, while magnesium level was decreased. Urinary proteins were separated on a DEAE-cellulose column by eluting with stepwise increasing salt concentration in 0.05 M Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.0). Each protein fraction was studied for its crystallization inhibitory potential by the spectrophotometric method. The protein eluted in 0.3 M NaCl containing buffer had the maximal nucleation as well as inhibitory activity. The protein had a molecular weight of 45 kD. In hyperoxaluria, the urinary excretion of this protein significantly increased. In the crystal growth assay, the control rat 45-kD protein inhibited nucleation by 75% and aggregation by 100%. In contrast, it is very interesting to note that the protein derived from 28th day hyperoxaluric urine, behaved as a promoter of nucleation (-113%, percentage inhibition) and weak inhibitor of aggregation (28%). A significantly high negative correlation (r = -0.97) between oxalate excretion and the inhibitory activity of the 45-kD protein was observed suggesting a modification of the protein by oxalate.