Kidney Stone Induces Developmental Stage-specific Alterations in Gene Expression

OBJECTIVES: Kidney stone diseases are common in premature infants, but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not fully defined. We carried out a prospective observational study using microarray analysis to identify factors that may be crucial for the initiation and progression of stone-induced injury in the developing mouse kidney. METHODS: Mice with adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (Aprt) deficiency develop 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (DHA) nephrolithiasis. Gene expression changes between Aprt-/- and Aprt+/+ kidneys from newborn and adult mice were compared using Affymetrix gene chips. RESULTS: We observed that: (i) gene expression changes induced by Aprt deficiency are developmental stage-specific; (ii) maturation-related gene expression changes are delayed in developing Aprt-/- kidneys; and (iii) immature Aprt-deficient kidneys contain large numbers of intercalated cells blocked from terminal differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents a comprehensive picture of the transcriptional changes induced by stone injury in the developing mouse kidney. Our findings help explain growth impairment in kidneys subject to injury during the early stages of development. Total RNA were extracted from kidneys of 12 newly born and 6 adult mice (half Aprt-/- and half control). Gene expression changes between Aprt-/- and Aprt+/+ kidneys from newborn and adult mice were compared using Affymetrix gene chips.