rs11567842 SNP in SLC13A2 gene associates with hypocitraturia in Thai patients with nephrolithiasis

Hypocitraturia is a profound risk for kidney stone formation and recurrence. Sodium-dicarboxylate cotransporter-1 (NaDC-1) is a main transporter responsible for citrate reabsorption in renal proximal tubules. To investigate an association of sodium-dicarboxylate cotransporter-1 (NaDC-1) polymorphism with hypocitraturia in Thai patients with nephrolithiasis (NL). Exonic SNPs in NaDC-1 were screened in peripheral blood DNA of 13 NL patients. The rs11567842 (A/G) variant was found and further genotyped in 145 NL patients and 115 non-stone forming controls. NL patients had significantly lower level of urinary citrate than the controls. Based on logistic regression, hypocitraturia was significantly associated with urinary stone formation (adjusted OR 8.34, 95% CI 4.63–15.04). Significant association of urinary citrate level with rs11567842 genotype was found only in the NL group. NL patients with GG genotype had significantly higher urinary citrate than those with AA and AG genotypes. GG carrying patients had significantly reduced risk for hypocitraturia (adjusted OR 0.15; 95% CI 0.05–0.48, AA as reference). In selected 15 calcium oxalate stone patients, AA carriers had significantly higher intrarenal NaDC-1 mRNA than GG and AG carriers. Homozygous GG of rs11567842 SNP in NaDC-1 gene was a protective genotype for hypocitraturia in kidney stone patients. The findings suggested that patients with AA genotypes were more susceptible to hypocitraturia than those with GG, hence carrying a higher risk for kidney stone recurrence.