α-Lipoic acid treatment prevents cystine urolithiasis in a mouse model of cystinuria

Nat Med. 2017 Mar;23(3):288-290. doi: 10.1038/nm.4280. Epub 2017 Feb 6.

Abstract

Cystinuria is an incompletely dominant disorder characterized by defective urinary cystine reabsorption that results in the formation of cystine-based urinary stones. Current treatment options are limited in their effectiveness at preventing stone recurrence and are often poorly tolerated. We report that the nutritional supplement α-lipoic acid inhibits cystine stone formation in the Slc3a1-/- mouse model of cystinuria by increasing the solubility of urinary cystine. These findings identify a novel therapeutic strategy for the clinical treatment of cystinuria.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic / genetics
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral / genetics
  • Animals
  • Cystine / drug effects*
  • Cystine / metabolism
  • Cystinuria / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Kidney / diagnostic imaging
  • Kidney / drug effects*
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Solubility / drug effects
  • Thioctic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Urolithiasis / diagnostic imaging
  • Urolithiasis / metabolism*
  • X-Ray Microtomography

Substances

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral
  • Slc3a1 protein, mouse
  • Cystine
  • Thioctic Acid