Press Release

We are pleased to announce the publication of a research paper titled "Two independent modes of kidney stone suppression achieved by AIM/CD5L and KIM-1" in the scientific journal "Communications Biology." This paper explores the preventive and therapeutic effects of AIM on kidney stones.

Press Release Summary

Discovery of Preventive and Therapeutic Effects of AIM and KIM-1 on Kidney Stones

Authors

Toru Miyazaki (Director and President of the Institute for AIM Medicine)
Satoko Arai (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo / the Institute for AIM Medicine)
Natsumi Maehara (Senior Research Fellow, the Institute for AIM Medicine)
Kyohei Matsuura (Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo / Beyond Next Ventures Inc.)

Overview of the Presentation

Kidney stones, one of the most prevalent diseases, have been on the rise due to modernized lifestyles and dietary habits. While surgical removal is a common treatment, there is a lack of effective internal treatments or medications for preventing their occurrence and recurrence.
In this study, researchers from the Institute for AIM Medicine (IAM), led by Toru Miyazaki, have made significant findings regarding the prevention and treatment of kidney stones. Through experiments involving the growth of calcium oxalate crystals and studies using mice with induced kidney stones, the researchers have revealed several key points:

1. AIM binds to calcium oxalate crystals, inhibiting their growth.
2. Administering AIM intravenously once a day significantly suppresses kidney stone formation.
3. The suppression of kidney stone growth can also be achieved by administering a specific peptide of AIM.
4. AIM administration reduces inflammation by removing damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), improving overall health.
5. The kidney injury molecule -1 (KIM-1) molecule expressed in proximal tubule epithelial cells induces phagocytosis of existing kidney stones, reducing their presence.

These findings open doors for AIM and KIM-1 to become novel preventive and therapeutic drivers for kidney stones, addressing the lack of effective internal treatments and medications. Moreover, AIM holds potential as a preventative measure against kidney stone recurrence. These discoveries also offer insights into potential applications for genetic diseases involving oxalate crystals, i.e., primary hyperoxaluria type I.
The development of internal treatments involving AIM and KIM-1 could alleviate the financial burden associated with surgical treatments for kidney stones, benefiting a significant number of patients.

This study was conducted under the support of the Japanese government-funded program “Leading Advanced Projects for medical innovation (LEAP),” sponsored by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). The research results will be published online in Communications Biology on August 3, 2022 (Eastern Standard Time).

Publication Information

Journal: Communications Biology (Online Edition)

Title: Two independent modes of kidney stone suppression achieved by AIM/CD5L and KIM-1

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03750-w

Authors: Kyohei Matsuura¹, Natsumi Maehara^{1, 2}, Ayaka Eguchi¹, Aika Hirota^{1, 2}, Keisuke Yasuda^{1, 2}, Kaori Taniguchi¹, Akemi Nishijima^1,2, Nobuyuki Matsuhashi³, Yoshiyuki Shiga³, Yasuhiro Iguchi⁴, Kazunari Tanabe⁵, Satoko Arai^{1, 2} & Toru Miyazaki²

Affiliations: ¹ University of Tokyo, ² The Institute for AIM Medicine, ³ NTT Medical Center Tokyo, ⁴ Medical corporation JISEIKAI, ⁵ Tokyo Women's Medical University

Contact Information

Toru Miyazaki, Director and President, The Institute for AIM Medicine
Phone:
Fax:
Email:

 Note  This translation provides a comprehensive overview of the press release, summarizing the key points and findings of the research paper related to the preventive and therapeutic effects of AIM and KIM-1 on kidney stones. If you need further details or assistance with specific sections, feel free to ask.