Calcium oxalate stone disease: congenital defect of metabolism?

Kidney tissue enzyme patterns from patients with calcium oxalate stone disease were compared to enzyme patterns from healthy and inflamed human kidneys. In the case of oxalate stone disease there was a significantly decreased activity of the glycolytic enzyme aldolase, resulting in a cumulation of oxaloacetate and of oxalic acid. This decrease of the aldolase activity does not completely reveal the cause of calcium oxalate stones but provides a new aspect to the disease.