Summary
Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THP), at concentrations occurring in normal urine, was demonstrated to show anti-adherence activity for type-1 fimbriated Escherichia coli. Urine also showed anti-adherence activity, and urine from which the THP was precipitated showed a significant drop in activity. The addition of calcium to the incubation medium with THP, at concentrations normally found in the urine, had no effect on the anti-adherence activity of THP. However, concentrations of calcium higher than those normally occurring in the urine significantly decreased the anti-adherence activity of THP. It is suggested that individuals with above normal concentrations of calcium in the urine may be at increased risk for urinary tract infections since the protective effect of THP is compromised.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Apicella LL, Sobota AE (1990) Increased risk of urinary tract infection associated with the use of calcium supplements. Urol Res 18:213
Ausubel FM, Brent R, Kingston RE, Moore DD, Smith JA, Seidman JG, Struhl K (1987) Analysis of proteins. In: Current protocols in molecular biology. John Wiley, New York, p 10.0.1
Dulawa J, Jann K, Thomsen M, Rambausek M, Ritz E (1988) Tamm Horsfall glycoprotein Interferes with bacterial adherence to human kidney cells. Eur J Clin Invest 18:87
Duncan JL (1988) Differential effect of Tamm-Horsfall protein on adherence of Escherichia coli to transitional epithelial cells. J Infect Dis 158:1379
Haugen H, Akesson I, Enger E, Meberg A (1978) Uromucoid in normal urine. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 38:49
Hultgren SJ, Schwan AJ, Schaeffer AJ, Duncan JL (1986) Regulation of production of type I pili among urinary tract isolates O Escherichia coli. Infect Immun 54:613
Kuriyama SM, Silverblatt FJ (1986) Effect of Tamm-Horsfall urinary glycoprotein on phagocytosis and killing of type I-fimbriated Escherichia coli. Infect Immun 51:193
Maniatis T, Fritsch EF, Sambrook J (1982) Propagation and maintenance of bacterial strains and viruses. In: Molecular cloning. A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, p. 56
Okskov I, Ferencz A, Orskov F (1980) Tamm-Horsfall protein or uromucoid is the normal urinary slime that traps type I fimbriated Escherichia coli. Lancet I:887
Schmidt DR, Sobota AE (1988) An examination of the antiadherence activity of cranberry juice on urinary and nonurinary bacterial isolates. Microbios 55:173
Sobota AE (1984) Inhibition of bacterial adherence by cranberry juice: potential use for the treatment of urinary tract infections. J Urol 131:1013
Tamm I, Horsfall FL (1950) Characterization and separation of an inhibitor of viral hemagglutination present in the urine. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 74:108
Wallach J (1986) Normal values: urine. In: Interpretation of diagnostic tests: a handbook synopsis of laboratory medicine. Little Brown, Boston, p 22
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sobota, A.E., Apicella, L.L. Reduction in the anti-adherence activity of Tamm-Horsfall protein with increasing concentration of calcium. Urol. Res. 19, 177–180 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303746
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303746