The direct inhibitory effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus, a commensal urinary bacterium, on calcium oxalate stone development
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Lactobacillus acidophilus is a commensal urinary bacterium found more abundantly in healthy individuals than in stone patients. Hence, it has been proposed to play an inhibitory role in kidney stone disease (KSD) but with unclear mechanisms. We therefore investigated the direct effects of L. acidophilus on calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone development compared with Escherichia coli, which is known to promote CaOx stone formation. RESULTS: CFU/ml significantly enhanced crystal growth and aggregation but did not affect crystallization and crystal-cell adhesion. Oxalate consumption assay showed that neither L. acidophilus nor E. coli significantly reduced the remaining oxalate level after 1 - 3 h incubation. However, both of them adhered to CaOx crystals. Surface component detection revealed that only L. acidophilus expressed S-layer protein, whereas only E. coli exhibited flagella on their surfaces. Removal of L. acidophilus S-layer protein and E. coli flagella completely abolished the inhibitory and promoting effects of L. acidophilus and E. coli, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: L. acidophilus inhibits CaOx stone development by hampering crystallization, growth, aggregation and cell-adhesive ability of CaOx. By contrast, E. coli enhances CaOx stone development by promoting CaOx growth and aggregation. Their contradictory effects are most likely from differential surface components (i.e., S-layer protein on L. acidophilus and flagella on E. coli) not from oxalate-degrading ability. Video Abstract.
Source: Microbiome
Institutions: Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,690
Funder: Mahidol University
OpenAlex ID: W4402604560