Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.73 (urokinase-type plasminogen activator)
 10,685 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

It has been hypothesized that urinary urokinase and sialidase may play a role in urolithiasis. If these theories have substance it is to be expected that microorganisms may also affect these enzymes, since the association between urinary tract infection and renal stone formation is well known. It is generally assumed that Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus albus, which produce the urea-splitting enzyme urease, are responsible for stone formation. However, the importance of non-urease-producing microorganisms (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus) in urolithiasis is unclear. Spectrophotometric studies were therefore devised to clarify this problem. Microorganisms associated with infection-induced stones (Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli) respectively inhibited the urokinase and stimulated the sialidase activity. In contrast, microorganisms which were not associated with infection stones (Bacillus subtilis) had significantly less effect on urokinase and sialidase activity. This study may explain infection-induced stone formation and could open a completely new line of research.
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PMID:Effects of bacteria involved with the pathogenesis of infection-induced urolithiasis on the urokinase and sialidase (neuraminidase) activity. 146 76

Many hypotheses have been proposed for renal stone formation. It has been argued that with infection-induced renal stones the hydrolysis of urea by bacterial urease increases urinary pH, with consequent stone formation. Unfortunately, this theory is not applicable to the micro-organisms that do not produce urease (e.g. Escherichia coli). It has been recently reported that E. coli reduces the urinary urokinase activity of male rats, but does not influence the urinary sialidase activity. This study has now been expanded to the urease-producing bacteria Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Micrococcus luteus. Subcutaneous injections with these bacteria were found to significantly (P < 0.003) reduce the UK activity of extrarenally obstructed kidneys. The urease-producing mammalian skin bacterium, M. luteus, was, however, the exception (P = 0.1079). In contrast to S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and M. luteus (P < 0.0213), P. mirabilis and S. aureus had no effect on renal sialidase activity (P < 0.4047). These results may explain why Proteus species are predominant in infection-induced renal stones. According to the urokinase-sialidase hypothesis, a decrease in urinary urokinase activity should increase the uromucoid levels, whilst no effect on the urinary sialidase activity should favour conversion of urinary uromucoid to mineralizable matrix. These conditions may lead to renal stone formation. An increase in urinary pH resulting from urease-producing micro-organisms will increase salt precipitation on the uromucoid. It is thus concluded that urease-producing bacteria may play a double role in renal stone formation.
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PMID:In vivo effects of urease-producing bacteria involved with the pathogenesis of infection-induced urolithiasis on renal urokinase and sialidase activity. 883 91