How extra urine calcium links to weak bones and kidney stones
Hypercalciuria and Abnormal Bone in the Genetic Hypercalciuric Stone-Forming Rats
Researchers are using a rat model that mirrors people who make calcium kidney stones to learn how excess calcium in urine harms bones and leads to stones.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Thomas Jefferson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309125 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I had recurrent calcium kidney stones, this project looks at specially bred rats that naturally pass calcium stones to mirror my condition and help researchers study what causes bone loss. Scientists will track urine calcium, bone density, intestinal calcium absorption, hormone levels, and kidney stone formation in these rats to reproduce the human problem. They will study how the skeleton loses calcium and test how treatments that change calcium handling affect both stones and bone strength. The goal is to link the biological steps that cause stones and weakened bones so future therapies can target both problems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with idiopathic hypercalciuria who form recurrent calcium-containing kidney stones and who may have low bone mineral density are the most relevant group for these findings.
Not a fit: Patients whose stones are not calcium-based (for example, uric acid or cystine stones) or whose calcium handling is normal are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to prevent calcium kidney stones while protecting or improving bone strength in people with high urine calcium.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies using genetic hypercalciuric rats have helped reveal mechanisms linking urine calcium and bone loss, but translating those findings into human treatments has so far been only partly successful.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Thomas Jefferson University — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Qiaoli — Thomas Jefferson University
- Study coordinator: Li, Qiaoli
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.