Effect of urinary stone disease and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy on excretion of glycosaminoglycans

Urine and serum glycosaminoglycan levels in the diagnosis of urological diseases and conditions: A narrative review of the literature

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are sulfated, negatively charged polysaccharides produced in almost every cell of the human body. As GAGs are extracellularly localized, the changes in body fluids such as blood and urine may reflect pathological changes in the urinary system as observed in other pathologies. In this review, we determined the potential of urinary and/or serum GAG levels as a marker for kidney and urothelial system diseases. We performed a search in the PubMed, MEDLINE, and ScienceDirect databases until September 30, 2019. A number of studies reported changes in the urinary and/or plasma GAG levels or composition in urological diseases and conditions, such as renal cell carcinoma, kidney stone, bladder carcinoma, and overactive bladder. GAGs were found to have a predictive biomarker potential that could be limited by generalizability concerns.

Stabilization of submicron calcium oxalate suspension by chondroitin sulfate C may be an efficient protection from stone formation

The influences of chondroitin sulfate C (C6S) on size, aggregation, sedimentation, and Zeta potential of sub-micron calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) and calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) crystallites with mean sizes of about 330 nm were investigated using an X-ray diffractometer, nanoparticle size Zeta potential analyzer, ultraviolet spectrophotometer, and scanning electron microscope, after which the results were compared with those of micron-grade crystals. C6S inhibited the conversion of COD to COM and the aggregation of COM and COD crystallitesis; it also decreased their sedimentation rate, thus increasing their stability in aqueous solution. The smaller the size of the COD crystallites, the easier they can be converted to COM. The stability of sub-micron COD was worse than that of micron-grade crystals. C6S can inhibit the formation of calcium oxalate stones.