Characterization of calcium oxalate crystal-induced changes in the secretome of U937 human monocytes

In kidney stone disease, migratory monocytes have been found to mediate progressive renal inflammation through the secretion of numerous inflammatory mediators. However, whether calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM), which is the major crystalline compound of kidney stones, has any effects on proteins secreted from monocytes remained largely unknown. The present study aimed to characterize changes in the secretome of U937 human monocytes induced by COM crystals. The viability of cells in serum/protein-free medium was serially evaluated and the data revealed that an exposure time of 16 h was optimal for this study, whereas prolonged incubation for 24 h resulted in declined cell viability. Using this optimal time-point, the secreted proteins recovered from serum/protein-free culture supernatants of controlled and COM-treated cells were resolved in 2-DE and stained with Deep Purple fluorescent dye. Quantitative intensity analysis revealed statistically significant changes in levels of 18 secreted proteins (14 increased and 4 decreased) from COM-treated cells. These significantly altered secreted proteins were then identified by Q-TOF MS and/or MS/MS analyses. Among these, the increased levels of secreted heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), HSP70 and beta-actin were confirmed by Western blot analysis. The increased level of extracellular HSP90 was confirmed on the COM-treated cell surface by the immunofluorescence study, whereas the increased secretion of IFN-alpha was validated by ELISA. Global protein network analysis, literature search and bioinformatics revealed that these significantly altered secreted proteins were involved mainly in immune response and cell survival. Therefore, changes in the secretome of monocytes induced by COM crystals may be related, at least in part, to progressive renal inflammation found in kidney stone disease.