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Levels of urinary inter‐α‐trypsin inhibitor trimer as a function of age and sex‐hormone status in males and females not forming stones
Author(s) -
Ricchiuti V.,
Hartke D.M.,
Yang L.Z.,
Goldman H.B.,
Elder J.S.,
Resnick M.I.,
Marengo S.R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1046/j.1464-410x.2002.02984.x
Subject(s) - trimer , medicine , endocrinology , hormone , urinary system , alpha (finance) , chemistry , dimer , construct validity , organic chemistry , patient satisfaction , nursing
Objectives To determine if levels of inter‐α‐trypsin inhibitor (IαTI)‐trimer differ in normal individuals based on age, gender or hormonal status, as the regulation of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystallization inhibitors, e.g. by sex steroids, could be a mechanism contributing to the differences in CaOx urolithiasis between the sexes. Subjects and methods Voided urine samples were collected from normal males and females. In Experiment 1 samples were grouped by gender and age, i.e. paediatric (PED) ≤ 10 years, male (M) 21, female (F) 14; young adult (YGAD) 20–30 years, M 23, F 18; adults (AD), 35–50 year, M 25, F 13; adults aged ≥ 60 years (> 60), M 24, F 16 (totals, M 93, F 61). In Experiment 2 samples were grouped by gender, age and hormonal status, i.e. PED, M 24, F 17;AD , M 24, F 22; > 60 and not on hormonal therapy, M 23, F 30; M > 60 and on androgen deprivation therapy (ANDEP) 18; and F > 60 on oestrogen supplementation, F+EST, 18 (total M 89, F 85). Levels of urinary IαTI‐trimer were determined by immunoblotting and enhanced chemiluminescence, and relative densities of the bands determined. Results In both experiments the relative levels of IαTI‐trimer were 2–7 times higher in M‐PED than in all other groups of males (P ≤ 0.007). Among adult males, IαTI‐trimer levels were similar in all groups, including ANDEP (P ≥ 0.9). There were no differences in the relative levels of IαTI‐trimer among any of the groups of females, regardless of age or hormonal status (P ≥ 0.7). Conclusions In males a decrease in IαTI‐trimer was associated with the onset of adulthood and entry into the ‘stone‐forming years’. Females did not show this decrease, and neither sex showed an increase in IαTI‐trimer in the > 60 group, when the incidence of CaOx urolithiasis is supposedly declining. While changes in urinary IαTI‐trimer levels in males may reflect maturational changes in the kidney, overall these data do not support the hypothesis that the age‐related changes in the incidence of urolithiasis are paralleled by changes in the expression IαTI‐trimer. Additionally, the sex steroids do not appear to acutely regulate the expression of IαTI‐trimer in adults, making differences in IαTI‐trimer levels unlikely to be the reason for the disparity in the incidence of CaOx urolithiasis between the sexes.