Dietary Oxalate and Immune Cell Function

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Kidney Stone

• Registration Number: NCT03877276
• Lead Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate mitochondrial function in white blood cells and platelets from healthy individuals following dietary oxalate intake.

Detailed Description

Inflammation and dietary oxalate have been shown to play an important role in the development of kidney stones. Oxalate is a small molecule found in plants and plant-derived food. Individuals that have high oxalate intake have an increased risk of developing kidney stones. The co-investigators have previously shown that healthy subjects that consume dietary oxalate have increased plasma and urine oxalate.

White blood cells are essential for the immune response and rely on the mitochondria to carry out important cell functions. The Principal Investigator's current research shows that patients with calcium oxalate kidney stones have decreased mitochondrial function in their immune cells. Using the expertise of the investigators, this study will test whether oxalate has a direct effect on mitochondrial function in immune cells from healthy subjects. This information could help us understand the role of oxalate on the immune system during kidney stone pathogenesis.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-07-21
• Study First Submitted: 2019-03-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-03-13
• Study First Posted: 2019-03-15
• Status Verified: 2025-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-06-05
• Last Update Posted: 2025-06-09
• Primary Completion: 2026-06-01
• Study Completion: 2027-12-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 82

Inclusion Criteria

• Mentally competent adults who are able to read and comprehend the consent form, written in English
• Male or Female
• Age 18 to 70 years
• Non-tobacco users
• BMI between 19 and 27
• Willingness to abstain from vigorous exercise during study period
• Normal blood comprehensive metabolic panel

Exclusion Criteria

• Mentally incompetent adults who are unable to read or comprehend the consent form, written in English
• Pregnant females
• Active medical problems
• History of kidney stones
• Any medical disorder that could influence absorption or excretion of oxalate
• BMI less than 19 or greater than 27
• Tobacco users
• Current use of medications or dietary supplements

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in monocyte cellular energetics after 5 hours	0 hours - 5 hours	Cellular bioenergetics (oxygen consumption rate) will be measured in isolated monocytes from human blood using a Seahorse XF Analyzer machine. Monocyte cellular bioenergetics will be measured before and after consuming a spinach smoothie (pre- and post-loads; Time 0 hours and 5 hours) to assess a change in monocyte cellular energetics after 5 hours.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Alabama at Birmingham; 🇺🇸 Birmingham, Alabama, United States