Oxalate (dys)Metabolism: Person-to-Person Variability, Kidney and Cardiometabolic Toxicity.

Oxalate is a metabolic end-product whose systemic concentrations are highly variable among individuals. Genetic (primary hyperoxaluria) and non-genetic (e.g., diet, microbiota, renal and metabolic disease) reasons underlie elevated plasma concentrations and tissue accumulation of oxalate, which is toxic to the body. A classic example is the triad of primary hyperoxaluria, nephrolithiasis, and kidney injury. Lessons learned from this example suggest further investigation of other putative factors associated with oxalate dysmetabolism, namely the identification of precursors (glyoxylate, aromatic amino acids, glyoxal and vitamin C), the regulation of the endogenous pathways that produce oxalate, or the microbiota's contribution to oxalate systemic availability. The association between secondary nephrolithiasis and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity) inspired the authors to perform this comprehensive review about oxalate dysmetabolism and its relation to cardiometabolic toxicity. This perspective may offer something substantial that helps advance understanding of effective management and draws attention to the novel class of treatments available in clinical practice.

Dithiothreitol-based protein equalization technology to unravel biomarkers for bladder cancer.

This study aimed to assess the benefits of dithiothreitol (DTT)-based sample treatment for protein equalization to assess potential biomarkers for bladder cancer. The proteome of plasma samples of patients with bladder carcinoma, patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and healthy volunteers, was equalized with dithiothreitol (DTT) and compared. The equalized proteomes were interrogated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. Six proteins, namely serum albumin, gelsolin, fibrinogen gamma chain, Ig alpha-1 chain C region, Ig alpha-2 chain C region and haptoglobin, were found dysregulated in at least 70% of bladder cancer patients when compared with a pool of healthy individuals. One protein, serum albumin, was found overexpressed in 70% of the patients when the equalized proteome of the healthy pool was compared with the equalized proteome of the LUTS patients. The pathways modified by the proteins differentially expressed were analyzed using Cytoscape. The method here presented is fast, cheap, of easy application and it matches the analytical minimalism rules as outlined by Halls. Orthogonal validation was done using western-blot. Overall, DTT-based protein equalization is a promising methodology in bladder cancer research.

Carcinoma renal cromófobo: uma causa rara de hipertensão na gravidez / Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma: a rare cause of hypertension in pregnancy

O carcinoma de células renais, em particular o tipo cromófobo, é uma patologia rara na idade fértil, o que explica a pouca informação disponível na literatura. Os autores apresentam o caso de uma mulher de 37 anos, multípara, com hipertensão arterial de novo, de difícil controle e hematúria às 10 semanas de gravidez, tendo o estudo etiológico do quadro hipertensivo demostrado a existência de um tumor renal. Às 17 semanas de gravidez, a doente foi submetida à nefrectomia esquerda, tendo a cirurgia decorrido sem intercorrências. A histologia demostrou tratar-se de um carcinoma do subtipo cromófobo. O restante da gravidez decorreu sem complicações, com perfil tensional controlado, com um parto vaginal de termo com um recém-nascido saudável.

Renal cell carcinoma, particularly the chromophobe type, is a rare pathology in childbearing age, and consequently, in literature, few cases during pregnancy have been reported. The authors present the case of a 37-year-old, multiparous woman, with de novo high blood pressure of difficult control, and hematuria at 10-week gestation. The etiological study of the hypertensive disorder has demonstrated the existence of a renal tumor. The patient underwent left radical nephrectomy at 17-week gestation. Histology was compatible with chromophobe subtype renal cell carcinoma. The remaining pregnancy period progressed with no complications, with controlled tension profile, and resulted in spontaneous vaginal delivery of a healthy infant at term.