Identification of urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin molecular forms and their association with different urinary diseases in cats.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a promising renal biomarker, can exists as a monomer, a dimer and/or in a NGAL/matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) complex form when associated with different urinary diseases in humans and dogs. In this study, the presence of the various different molecular forms of NGAL in cat urine (uNGAL) was examined and whether these forms are correlated with different urinary diseases was explored. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-nine urine samples from cats with various different diseases, including acute kidney injury (AKI, 22 cats), chronic kidney disease (CKD, 55 cats), pyuria (44 cats) and other non-renal and non-pyuria diseases (non-RP, 26 cats), as well as healthy animals (12 cats), were collected. The molecular forms of and concentrations of urinary NGAL in these cats were analyzed, and their uNGAL-to-creatinine ratio (UNCR) were determined. The cats with AKI had the highest UNCR (median: 2.92 × 10- 6), which was followed by pyuria (median: 1.43 × 10- 6) and CKD (median: 0.56 × 10- 6); all of the above were significantly higher than the healthy controls (median: 0.17 × 10- 6) (p < 0.05). Three different NGAL molecular forms as well as the MMP-9 monomer were able to be detected in the cat urine samples. Moreover, the cases where urine NGAL monomer were present also had significantly higher levels of BUN (median: 18.9 vs 9.6 mmol/L) and creatinine (327.1 vs 168 umol/L). The presence of dimeric NGAL was found to be associated with urinary tract infections. Most cats in the present study (126/159, 79.2%) and more than half of healthy cats (7/12, 58.3%) had detectable NGAL/MMP-9 complex present in their urine. CONCLUSIONS: The monomeric and dimeric molecular forms of uNGAL suggest upper and lower urinary tract origins of disease, respectively, whereas the presence of the uNGAL/MMP-9 complex is able to be detected in most cats, including seemingly healthy ones.

C3a and suPAR drive versican V1 expression in tubular cells of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Chronic tubulointerstitial injury impacts the prognosis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). We found that the level of versican V1 was increased in tubular cells of FSGS patients. Tubular cell-derived versican V1 induced proliferation and collagen synthesis by activating the CD44/Smad3 pathway in fibroblasts. Both urine C3a and suPAR were increased and bound to the tubular cells in FSGS patients. C3a promoted the transcription of versican by activating the AKT/ß-catenin pathway. C3aR knockout decreased the expression of versican in Adriamycin-treated (ADR-treated) mice. On the other hand, suPAR bound to integrin ß6 and activated Rac1, which bound to SRp40 at the 5' end of exon 7 in versican pre-mRNA. This binding inhibited the 3'-end splicing of intron 6 and the base-pair interactions between intron 6 and intron 8, leading to the formation of versican V1. Cotreatment with ADR and suPAR specifically increased the level of versican V1 in tubulointerstitial tissues and caused more obvious interstitial fibrosis in mice than treatment with only ADR. Altogether, our results show that C3a and suPAR drive versican V1 expression in tubular cells by promoting transcription and splicing, respectively, and the increases in tubular cell-derived versican V1 induce interstitial fibrosis by activating fibroblasts in FSGS.

Titin in muscular dystrophy and cardiomyopathy: Urinary titin as a novel marker.

Titin, encoded by the gene TTN, is the largest human protein, and plays central roles in sarcomeric structures and functions in skeletal and cardiac muscles. Mutations of TTN are causally related to specific types of muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies. A developed methodology of next generation sequencing has recently led to the identification of novel TTN mutations in such diseases. The clinical significance of titin is now emerging as a target for genetic strategies. Titin-related muscular dystrophies include tibial muscular dystrophy, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure, central core myopathy, centronuclear myopathies, and Salih myopathy. Truncation mutations of TTN have been identified as the most frequent genetic cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. In this review article, we highlight the role of titin and impact of TTN mutations in the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies. Recently, a novel sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of the urinary titin N-terminal fragments (U-TN) has been established. We discuss the clinical significance of U-TN in the diagnosis of muscular dystrophies and differential diagnosis of cardiomyopathies, as well as risk stratification in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Urine reference intervals for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) isoforms by immunoextraction-tandem mass spectrometry to detect hCG use.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulates testosterone production by the testicles and can normalize suppressed testosterone concentrations in males following prolonged anabolic steroid use. Because of the potential for abuse by males, hCG is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances. The majority of WADA-accredited laboratories measure urinary hCG using an automated immunoassay. Only immunoassays that recognize the intact alpha and beta heterodimer of hCG (intact hCG) should be used to measure urinary hCG for doping control purposes since intact hCG is the only biologically active molecule. WADA further requires that confirmation testing is performed using an intact hCG immunoassay that is different from the one used in the initial testing procedure or by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In this study we measured the concentration of intact hCG, free ß-subunit (hCGß) and ß-subunit core fragment (hCGßcf) in 570, 275, and 256 male urine samples, respectively, by an immunoextraction LC-MS/MS method. Mean concentrations of intact hCG, hCGß and hCGßcf were 0.04 IU/L, 0.47 pmol/L and 0.16 pmol/L, respectively. The upper reference limits (97.5th percentile) for intact hCG, hCGß and hCGßcf were 0.21 IU/L, 0.40 pmol/L, and 1.86 pmol/L, respectively. Based on these data, we recommend a threshold of 1.0 IU/L for intact hCG (false positive rate of <1 in 10 000) for detecting male athletes that dope with hCG.

Human TLR gene family members are differentially expressed in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

PURPOSE: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have an important role in the activation of both innate and adaptive immunity in response to pathogens and endogenous danger signals from damaged or dying cells. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between urothelial carcinoma (UC) and TLR expression. BASIC PROCEDURES: Real-time polymerase chain reaction evaluation was made of the messenger RNA expression of TLRs 1-10 in 24 UC samples and 46 nontumoral bladder tissue samples. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8) in the urine samples were also determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MAIN FINDINGS: TLR2-7 and TLR10 expressions were significantly higher in UC than in the control group (P<0.05 for all comparisons). No concordance was found between matched tumor tissue and urine samples in terms of TLR expression. IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in urine specimens of patients with UC (P = 0.033, P = 0.001, and P = 0.008, respectively). PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrated that the TLR gene expression profiles reflect the heterogeneity within UC. These results might also prompt further investigation to better understand the role of the TLR gene family expression in the tumor progression of UC.

High-Risk Screening of Fabry Disease: Analysis of Fifteen Urinary Methylated and Non-Methylated Gb3 Isoforms Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Fabry disease is a multisystemic, X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the GLA gene, leading to α-galactosidase A deficiency and resulting in the accumulation of glycosphingolipids in different tissues and biological fluids. Glycosphingolipid biomarkers, such as globotriaosylceramide (Gb3 ) isoforms, globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb3 ) and related analogs, and galabiosylceramide (Ga2 ) isoforms and analogs, are found to be abnormally increased in urine and in plasma of Fabry patients and have the potential to be used as specific biomarkers of the disease. This unit presents a protocol for the relative quantification of fifteen urinary isoforms of Gb3 analyzed simultaneously with creatinine by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). In order to purify urine samples, a liquid-liquid extraction is performed and samples are analyzed by MS/MS in positive electrospray ionization mode. These biomarkers are useful for screening, diagnosis, and long-term monitoring of Fabry disease patients. We have shown that the methylated Gb3 isoforms are particularly useful for screening Fabry patients who present with late-onset cardiac variant mutations. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Differentiation of protein species of alpha-2u-globulin according to database entries: A half-theoretical approach.

The alpha-2u-globulin protein, the main subject of this study, is the most abundant protein in adult male rat urine. In this investigation there are 19 spots identified as alpha-2u-globulin by 2-DE and MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. All of them are in the low molecular weight region, at approximately 15-25kDa. Searches within both, SwissProt and NCBI databases gave different from each other, but on the majority the same database entry as the highest ranked result for all spots. For this half-theoretical approach all entries from the NCBI database for the protein alpha-2u-globulin were considered in more detail. The sequences and the masses of the theoretically resulting tryptic peptides were compared with the PMF spectra of the spots identified as alpha-2u-globulin. This study presents a trial to distinguish between different protein species of that protein, only on the amino acid level. Other modifications like phosphorylation, glycosylation or any other group modification could not be considered here. Different protein species can be predicted for groups of closer positioned spots. Statements about which spot contains which peptide variant can be done, too. But it was found that several spots contain more than one protein species. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In this investigation a half-theoretically approach was shown to differentiate between protein species of different spots identified as the same protein. Different positions of spots in 2-DE gels mean different contents of protein species. Here, peptide masses from sequences of protein database entries were searched in the PMF spectra of alpha-2u-globulin. Different peptide variants could be assigned to different spots. It was also found that several spots contain more than one peptide variant and therefore more than one protein species. In addition, the insufficiency of the database has been demonstrated.

Tandem mass spectrometry multiplex analysis of methylated and non-methylated urinary Gb3 isoforms in Fabry disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Fabry disease is a lysosomal storage disorder leading to the accumulation of glycosphingolipids in biological fluids and tissues. Globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb3) are currently used for Fabry screening and diagnosis. However, these biomarkers are not always increased in Fabry patients with residual enzyme activity. We recently identified 7 urinary methylated Gb3-related isoforms. The aims of this study were (1) to develop and validate a novel LC-MS/MS method for the relative quantification of methylated and non-methylated Gb3 isoforms normalized to creatinine, (2) to evaluate these biomarkers in Fabry patients and healthy controls, and (3) to assess correlations between biomarker urinary excretion with age, gender, treatment and genotype of patients. METHODS: Urine samples from 150 Fabry patients and 95 healthy controls were analyzed. Samples were purified and injected in the tandem mass spectrometer working in positive electrospray ionization. Relative quantification was performed for 15 methylated and non-methylated Gb3 isoforms. RESULTS: Significant correlations (p<0.001) were established between Gb3 isoform concentrations, gender and treatment. Five patients with the late-onset cardiac mutation p.N215S showed abnormal concentrations of methylated Gb3 isoforms compared to their non-methylated homologues. CONCLUSIONS: Methylated Gb3 isoforms might be helpful urinary biomarkers for Fabry patients with late-onset cardiac variant mutations.

Hyperglycosylated hCG: a Unique Human Implantation and Invasion Factor.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), as one of the first embryonic products, has been extensively investigated for its role in implantation and placental development. Discovery of an over-glycosylated form of this hormone, hyperglycosylated hCG (hCG-H), has provided an additional level of complexity in our understanding of the implantation and placentation process; the structure, activity and functional implications of alterations in hCG isoforms throughout pregnancy are still being characterized. HCG-H comprises up to 90% of total hCG measurable in serum and urine during the first 2-3 weeks of pregnancy when invasive trophoblast activity is high, dropping to negligible proportions, less than 5%, of total hCG at the end of the first trimester. Functionally, hCG-H promotes trophoblast invasion during early pregnancy and has potential roles in immune cell modulation and endothelial function within the uterus at the time of pregnancy initiation. Altered levels of hCG-H are characteristics of pregnancy complications of altered trophoblast function and inadequate placentation, such as pre-eclampsia, and also over-abundance of invasive cytotrophoblasts, such as Down's syndrome. Improving our basic knowledge of the functional role-specific hCG isoforms plays in the complex cascade of events involved in implantation and placental development, and determining dynamic changes in the structure and activity of hCG isoforms throughout gestation will facilitate evidence-based decisions in assisted reproduction/in vitro fertilization based on the potential of embryos to implant, provide biomarkers for diagnosis of pregnancy complications associated with altered placental development and enhance understanding of how hCG isoforms may influence receptivity of the endometrium.

[The pathochemical characteristics of oligomeric forms of Tamm-Horsfall protein under urolithiasis].

The role of Tamm-Horsfall protein in pathogenesis of urolithiasis was analyzed. The study of oligomeric forms of protein was carried out using technique of dynamic light scattering. The sampling of 57 patients with urolithiasis and 51 patients of control group of comparative age and gender were examined. The degree of purification of Tamm-Horsfall protein was controlled using denaturant electrophoresis in polyacridine amyl gel. The reversing change of oligomeric form of protein with molecule size 2 Mda in polymeric form 28 Mda under impact of guanidinhydrochloride. Under urolithiasis, the form of protein associated with non-organic components and with size of macromolecular complex larger than 1500 nm was detected. The diagnostic criterion of urolithiasis was proposed based on totality of biochemical and biophysical analyses of urine.

Interfering parameters in the determination of urinary globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) in patients with chronic kidney disease.

INTRODUCTION: Globotriaosylceramide (Gb3, CD77) represents a pivotal part of the cell membrane. Measuring the urinary Gb3 content can be used to screen patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) for Fabry disease, a disorder caused by hampered Gb3 degradation. However, little is known about factors influencing urinary Gb3 excretion other than Fabry disease. The aim of the present study was to identify routine diagnostic parameters as predictors of urinary Gb3 excretion in patients with CKD. METHODS: Our study included 609 subjects with CKD stage I-V. We analyzed the influence of age, gender, renal function, urinary cell content and chemical characteristics on urinary Gb3 concentrations (total Gb3, Gb3-24 isoform, and Gb3-24:18 isoform ratio), determined by direct electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. RESULTS: In 609 subjects the median total urinary Gb3 was 233 ng/mg and the Gb3-24:18 isoform ratio was 1.2. Twenty-one patients, none of whom had Fabry disease, had a Gb3-24:18 isoform ratio ≥2.3. Females excreted a higher total amount of Gb3, but the Gb3-24:18 isoform ratio was comparable to males. Renal function and age had no influence on total Gb3, Gb3 isoforms or the ratio. Only a distinct load of bacteria and leukocytes was associated with an increased Gb3 excretion. Urinary leukocytes, erythrocytes, bacteria, or protein content did not affect the Gb3-24:18 isoform ratio. CONCLUSION: The Gb3-24:18 isoform ratio is unaffected by several potential influencing variables and may thus be applied for screening for Fabry disease in unselected cohorts of patients presenting with CKD.

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 90 kDa isoform: Biomarker for diagnosis of preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia (PE), one of the leading gestational hypertensive diseases, is characterized by increased blood pressure (⩾140/90mmHg) and pathological proteinuria after 20weeks gestation. It is a complex, multifactorial syndrome with an unestablished etiology and cure. The search continues for a biomarker that could assist in the early prediction or diagnosis of PE, reducing the rate of maternal and fetal mortality. Based on the findings of Casarini et al. that suggest the 90kDa isoform of the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) as a possible marker of hypertension, we hypothesized that this isoform may be present in pregnant women with PE, since they present a transient and spontaneous model of systemic arterial hypertension in pregnancy. We believe, therefore, that pregnant women with pure PE (PPE) express the ACE 90kDa isoform in urine, as well as having elevated isoform enzymatic activity, during pregnancy only. Postpartum, with the normalization of blood pressure, the protein isoform would no longer be expressed. Pregnant women with superimposed preeclampsia (SPE) would present the ACE 90kDa isoform both during and after the gestation period, and its enzymatic activity would remain high as they are chronically hypertensive. It is expected that normotensive pregnant women do not present this isoform in their urine as elevated blood pressure levels do not occur. Both normotensive and PPE affected pregnant women with a family history of hypertension, will possibly express the ACE 90kDa isoform before pregnancy and may become hypertensive, only after some years, through the influence of environmental factors and/or other diseases. If our hypothesis is confirmed, it will allow differentiation of PPE and SPE sooner than 12weeks postpartum, which is currently the estimated period for confirmation of the specific diagnosis. Furthermore, it could be an early biomarker for predicting the disease, enabling the physician to choose the best clinical management. In addition, it would minimize the use of other methods as the biological sample for obtaining the marker is urine, a practical and effective test with good reproducibility. Finally, test results would enable a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved in gestational hypertension.

Targeted protein surface sensors as a tool for analyzing small populations of proteins in biological mixtures.

Optical cross-reactive sensor arrays (the so-called chemical "noses/tongues") have recently been demonstrated as a powerful tool for high-throughput protein detecting and analysis. Nevertheless, applying this technology to biomarker detection is complicated by the difficulty of non-selective sensors to operate in biological mixtures. Herein we demonstrate a step toward circumventing this limitation by using self-assembled fluorescent receptors consisting of two distinct recognition motifs: specific and non-specific. When combined in an array, binding cooperatively between the specific and non-specific protein binders enables the system to discriminate among closely related isoform biomarkers even in the presence of serum proteins or within human urine.

Detection of microdoses of rhEPO with the MAIIA test.

The detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) is difficult and becomes more challenging when only microdoses are administered intravenously. Twenty-three subjects were divided into two groups: EPO group (n = 7) and CONTROL group (n = 16). Seven urine and blood samples per subject were collected at least 5 days apart to determine within- and between-subject standard deviations in the percentage of migrating isoforms by the MAIIA test. Six injections of 50 IU/kg bw (boosting dosage) of epoetin beta (Neorecormon, Roche Diagnostics, Hvidovre, Denmark) were performed intravenously during a 3-week period, followed by two microinjections of only 10 IU/kg bw. Blood and urine samples were collected 2, 6, 12, and 72 h after the microinjection, as well as 72 h after the last boosting dose. Sensitivities and specificities of the MAIIA test were examined by absolute and passport thresholds. Sensitivity was 100% for at least 12 h after the microinjection, with ∼30% of plasma samples still exceeding the 99.9% passport threshold 72 h after a microinjection. The specificity was higher for the passport approach compared to the absolute approach, but there were no differences in sensitivities between approaches or between specimens (urine and plasma). We conclude that the MAIIA test shows potential for detecting very small doses of rhEPO.

Desialylation improves the detection of recombinant erythropoietins in urine samples analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

Recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO) has been misused for over two decades by athletes, mainly but not only in endurance sports. A direct rhEPO detection method in urine by isoelectric focusing (IEF) was introduced in 2000, but the emergence of third-generation erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and so-called biosimilar rhEPOs, together with the sensitivity of human endogenous EPO (huEPO) pattern to enzymatic activities and its modification following short strenuous exercise, prompted the development of a complementary test based on SDS-PAGE analysis. While Mircera and NESP are easily detected with the existing IEF and SDS-PAGE methods, some samples containing both epoetin-α/ß and huEPO present profiles that are still difficult to interpret. As doping practices have moved to micro-dosing, these mixed patterns are more frequently observed. We investigated the impact of enzymatic desialylation on the urinary and serum EPO profiles obtained by SDS-PAGE with the aim of improving the separation of the bands in these mixed EPO populations. We observed that the removal with neuraminidase of the sialic acid moieties from the different EPOs studied reduced their apparent molecular weight (MW) and increased the migration distance between huEPO and rhEPO centroids, therefore eliminating the size overlaps between them and improving the detection of rhEPO.

New detection methods of growth hormone and growth factors.

Human growth hormone (GH), but also GH related growth factors like the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are known to be abused in sports. Although the scientific evidence supporting a distinct effect of GH on performance in healthy trained subjects is limited, it has been repeatedly found with athletes or trainers, and the recent introduction of a first test to detect GH doping has led to a number of positive cases. Currently, there is no test for the detection of IGF-1 introduced worldwide, but confiscation of the drug from sports teams can be taken as indirect evidence for its abuse. The major biochemical difficulty for the detection of GH is that the recombinant form is identical in physicochemical properties to the endogenous GH secreted by the pituitary gland. Furthermore, the very short half-life of GH in circulation inherently shortens the window of opportunity where the drug can be detected. Two strategies have been followed for more than a decade to develop a test to detect the application of recombinant GH: the marker approach, which is based on the elevation of GH-dependent markers above the level seen under physiological conditions evoked by administration of recombinant GH, and the isoform approach, which is based on a change in the pattern of GH isoforms in circulation following the injection of recombinant GH.

Glycosylation of prostate specific antigen and its potential diagnostic applications.

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) assays are widely used for early detection of prostate cancer. However, those analyses are associated with considerable sensitivity and specificity problems. Several approaches have been developed to tackle this issue. PSA is a glycoprotein, which is primarily produced by the prostatic epithelial cells. Aberrant glycosylation modification of proteins is a fundamental characteristic of tumorigenesis. Study of PSA glycoforms offers interesting diagnostic perspectives. Modern technology allows us to analyze PSA glycoforms in a variety of clinical samples (serum or plasma, urine, seminal fluid, tissue). A number of novel techniques, such as lectin-based detection methods, mass spectrometry, 2-dimensional electrophoresis and capillary electrophoresis have been developed to analyze PSA glycosylation. This article reviews the technical and diagnostic aspects of PSA glycoforms.

Easy-to-use IEF compatible immunoaffinity purification of Erythropoietin from urine retentates.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a peptide hormone responsible for hypoxia-induced promotion of erythrocyte production. The possibility of enhancing oxygen transport through an increase of erythrocytes has led to EPO abuse in sports. Detection of exogenous EPO is most commonly done via isoelectric focusing (IEF) which is a method provided by the Technical Document TD2009EPO of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Before analysis, collected urine samples need to be concentrated 500- to 1000-fold, leading to high protein abundance in the retentates. Reduction of protein concentration through an immunoaffinity purification using ELISA wells has been successfully used prior to SDS-PAGE. This ELISA kit was used to purify samples using an IEF-compatible elution. The purification showed recovery ratios between 50 and 90% depending on substance and application volume. Application of immunopurified samples to IEF was shown to improve the quality of the gels by reducing streaks and curvatures within the lanes and bands of the gel. The result was an increase of quality for IEF gels.