Oxalobacter formigenes colonization normalizes oxalate excretion in a gastric bypass model of hyperoxaluria.

Background: Hyperoxaluria and oxalate kidney stones frequently develop after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Oxalobacter formigenes can degrade ingested oxalate.

Objectives: Examine the effect of O. formigenes wild rat strain (OXWR) colonization on urinary oxalate excretion and intestinal oxalate transport in a hyperoxaluric RYGB model.

Setting: Basic Science Laboratory, United States.

Methods: At 21 weeks of age, 28 obese male Sprague-Dawley rats survived Sham (n = 10) or RYGB (n = 18) surgery and were maintained on a 1.5% potassium oxalate, 40% fat diet. At 12 weeks postoperatively, half the animals in each group were gavaged with OXWR. At 16 weeks, percent dietary fat content was lowered to 10%. Urine and stool were collected weekly to determine oxalate and colonization status, respectively. At week 20, [14 C]-oxalate fluxes and electrical parameters were measured in vitro across isolated distal colon and jejunal (Roux limb) tissue mounted in Ussing Chambers.

Results: RYGB animals lost 22% total weight while Shams gained 5%. On a moderate oxalate diet, urinary oxalate excretion was 4-fold higher in RYGB than Sham controls. OXWR colonization, obtained in all gavaged animals, reduced urinary oxalate excretion 74% in RYGB and 39% in Sham and was further augmented by lowering the percentage of dietary fat. Finally, OXWR colonization significantly enhanced basal net colonic oxalate secretion in both groups.

Conclusions: In our model, OXWR lowered urinary oxalate by luminal oxalate degradation in concert with promotion of enteric oxalate elimination. Trials of O. formigenes colonization and low-fat diet are warranted in calcium oxalate stone formers with gastric bypass and resistant hyperoxaluria.