What began as research aimed at expanding the limited treatment options for cystinuria, a rare genetic disorder affecting one in every 7,000 people, characterized by the recurrent formation of cystine stones in the kidneys and urinary tract, could become a potential solution for millions of people worldwide affected by kidney stones (5-10% of the global population).
For years, a team from the University of Barcelona and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) has been studying a natural antioxidant, L-ergothioneine, as a compound capable of safely and effectively reducing the formation of cystine kidney stones in mouse models, as well as delaying their development. Now, the team has found that the benefits of this antioxidant extend to other types of kidney stones, particularly the most common: calcium oxalate stones, which account for 70-80% of kidney stone cases worldwide.
The study, published in Antioxidants & Redox Signaling , reveals that this compound not only slows the growth of kidney stones but also protects the organ from inflammation and cellular damage. It tackles the problem at its root and offers a safer therapeutic alternative for nephrolithiasis, with fewer side effects.
The research is led by Professor Raúl Estévez, from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the UB Institute of Neurosciences (UBNeuro), and principal investigator of the UB research group on the Physiology and Pathology of the Glia-Neuron Functional Relationship , IDIBELL and the CIBER Area for Rare Diseases (CIBERER), with expert Clara Mayayo (UB and IDIBELL) as the first author. This is a posthumous study by researcher Virginia Nunes, also a co-author of the paper and a leading figure in the field of human molecular genetics. She is a professor at the Department of Physiological Sciences at the UB's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and was a founding member of IDIBELL, where she served as coordinator of the Genes, Disease and Therapy Programme and as a group leader. She dedicated her entire research career to the study of rare diseases.
