Is CYP24A1 Heterozygosity a Risk Factor for Nephrolithiasis?

Biallelic loss-of-function variants in CYP24A1 have been identified as a common genetic cause of autosomal recessive hypercalcemia (ARH, ORPHA 300547, 1 in 80,000 live births), characterized by low PTH (parathyroid hormone) levels, a high 25-OH D/24,25-(OH)₂D ratio, and susceptibility to vitamin D intoxication.

In humans, heterozygous pathogenic variants in CYP24A1 have been proposed both as responsible for an autosomal dominant disorder and as a risk factor for nephrolithiasis, but the rarity and heterogeneity of human data prevent a definitive answer to this crucial question.

Nephrolithiasis is a complex disease in which nutritional factors - particularly sodium and protein intake (leading to hypercalciuria) - play a key role. It also has a heritability of 50%, suggesting the involvement of many genetic susceptibility factors, as well as monogenic forms (mainly autosomal recessive, but also dominant or X-linked), which have been identified in 10-20% of patients.

The increasing prevalence of nephrolithiasis, affecting approximately 10% of the general population over a lifetime, has a significant financial impact on healthcare systems and imposes a major burden of morbidity, justifying further investigation into the genetic underpinnings of nephrolithiasis.

The goal of the HeteroCYP project is to improve understanding of the phenotypes associated with heterozygous, compound heterozygous, and homozygous variants of CYP24A1 by comparing clinical and biological outcomes in patients according to their mutation type