Dietary Oxalate Loading Impacts Monocyte Metabolism and Inflammatory Signaling in Humans.

Unlabelled: Diet has been associated with several metabolic diseases and may impact immunity. Increased consumption of meals with high oxalate content may stimulate urinary calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals, which are precursors to CaOx kidney stones. We previously reported that CaOx stone formers have decreased monocyte cellular bioenergetics compared to healthy participants and oxalate reduces monocyte metabolism and redox status .

Dietary Oxalate Induces Urinary Nanocrystals in Humans.

Introduction: Crystalluria is thought to be associated with kidney stone formation and can occur when urine becomes supersaturated with calcium, oxalate, and phosphate. The principal method used to identify urinary crystals is microscopy, with or without a polarized light source. This method can detect crystals above 1 μm in diameter (microcrystals).

Human breast milk-derived exosomes attenuate cell death in intestinal epithelial cells.

Human breast milk has been shown to reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Breast milk has many components (immunoglobulins, proteins, fat, and, of recent interest, exosomes), but the specific component that affords protection against NEC is not known. Exosomes are small-nanometer vesicles that are rich in protein, lipid, and microRNA.

Oxalate induces mitochondrial dysfunction and disrupts redox homeostasis in a human monocyte derived cell line.

Monocytes/macrophages are thought to be recruited to the renal interstitium during calcium oxalate (CaOx) kidney stone disease for crystal clearance. Mitochondria play an important role in monocyte function during the immune response. We recently determined that monocytes in patients with CaOx kidney stones have decreased mitochondrial function compared to healthy subjects.

Erythropoietin-induced cytoprotection in intestinal epithelial cells is linked to system Xc.

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a common but serious complication among premature babies. Currently, there are limited treatment options. These include intensive supportive care and surgical intervention.