QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS ON THE LOCALIZATION OF CHONDROITIN SULFATE PROTEOGLYCAN IN RENAL TISSUES OF PATIENTS WITH CALCIUM NEPHROLITHIASIS

Previous studies have shown a significant decrease of heparin sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) in the basement membrane of the glomerulus and the mucosa of the ureter/renal pelvis in patients with calcium nephrolith iasis. In this study, we looked at the localization of another influen tial proteoglycan, chondroitin sulfate (CSPG), using similar study gro ups by indirect immunofluorescence staining. Microscopic images were d igitized and image analysis was used to quantitate the staining intens ity of CSPG present in the basement membrane of the nephron. Our data showed significant loss of CSPG in the Bowman's capsule and the baseme nt membrane of the mucosa of the ureter/renal pelvis using Mann-Whitne y U-Wilcoxon Rank Sum W test with P-values of 0.0043 and 0.0041, respe ctively. However, absence of staining was noted in the basement membra ne of the glomerulus and no significant change in the basement membran e of the tubular epithelium was observed. In conclusion, our results s howed changes in the localization of CSPG in the basement membrane of the nephron, accompanied with HSPG, which may contribute to the pathol ogical condition of calcium nephrolithiasis.