2025 AIChE Annual Meeting

(191s) Multiscale Analysis of Cooperative Modifier Effects on Inhibition and Dissolution of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate Crystals

Authors

Jeffrey Rimer, University of Houston
Kidney stones impact 12-14% of the global population, with recurrence rates surpassing 50% within five years.1 Calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals dominate kidney stone composition, typically forming through classical layer-by-layer growth via monomer attachment. Macromolecular additives play a critical role in modulating crystallization processes, either by binding to solution components to reduce supersaturation or by physically blocking crystal growth sites.2-3 While prior studies have characterized individual modifiers, that either promote or inhibit the nucleation and growth of COM crystals. This work focuses identifying molecular modifiers and their synergistic interactions that cooperatively enhance or oppose COM crystallization. Using multiscale experimental approaches - from bulk crystallization assays where we assess the overall impact on COM crystallization, using microfluidics as a tool to screen modifiers, to using atomic force microscopy (AFM) - we identified modifier that effectively inhibit COM growth and promote dissolution under physiologically relevant conditions.4-5 These mechanistic insights will help advance the development of therapeutic strategies targeting pathological crystallization in kidney stone disease.

References:

  1. Wesson, J. A.; Ward, M. D., Pathological Biomineralization of Kidney Stones. Elements 2007,3 (6), 415-421.
  2. Farmanesh, S.; Ramamoorthy, S.; Chung, J. H.; Asplin, J. R.; Karande, P.; Rimer, J. D., Specificity of Growth Inhibitors and their Cooperative Effects in Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate Crystallization. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2014,136 (1), 367-376.
  3. Farmanesh, S.; Alamani, B. G.; Rimer, J. D., Identifying alkali metal inhibitors of crystal growth: a selection criterion based on ion pair hydration energy. Chemical Communications 2015,51 (73), 13964-13967.
  4. Kim, D., Chauhan, V.P., Alamani, B.G., Fisher, S.D., Yang, Z., Jones, M.R., Terlier, T., Vekilov, P.G., Rimer, J.D.: “Bio-Inspired Dual Action Disruptors of Pathological Calcium Oxalate Crystallization” Commun.(2025) [In Press]
  5. Chauhan, V.P., Grobman, G.Y., Vidavsky, N., Rimer, J.D.: “Time-resolved Dynamics of Calcium Oxalate Dihydrate Crystallization” Growth Des.24 (2024) 10273-10283