A Paracrine Mechanism Involving Renal Tubular Cells, Adipocytes and Macrophages Promotes Kidney Stone Formation in a Simulated Metabolic Syndrome Environment

Abstract

Inflammatory cytokine changes were induced by coculturing renal tubular cells with adipocytes and/or macrophages without direct contact, indicating that crosstalk between adipocytes/macrophages and renal tubular cells was mediated by soluble factors. The susceptibility to urolithiasis of patients with metabolic syndrome might be due to aggravated inflammation of renal tubular cells triggered by a paracrine mechanism involving these 3 cell types.