Determination of amino acids in urine of patients with prostate cancer and benign prostate growth

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the leading type of cancer diagnosed in men. Serum prostate-specific antigen levels and digital rectal exam are far from perfect when it comes to differentiation of patients with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. In this study, we attempt to determine whether amino acids can be used as prostate cancer biomarkers. Concentrations of derivatized amino acids and amines were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 100 urine samples from the two groups including samples provided before and after prostate massage were examined quantitatively for amino acid and amine concentrations with 50 urine samples collected from cancer patients and 50 samples from patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Arginine, homoserine, and proline were more abundant in urine samples of cancer patients compared with arginine, homoserine, and proline levels determined in urine collected from patients with benign growth. We also show that sarcosine is not a definitive indicator of prostate cancer when analyzed in urine samples collected either before or after prostate massage.

Innovative Diagnostic Methods for Early Prostate Cancer Detection through Urine Analysis: A Review

“…Among the proposed biomarkers, the most debated is sarcosine. Indeed, many authors [ 25 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ] reported that its level in urine from PCa patients is higher than in control samples, and that its classification performance is good, whereas other researchers [ 36 , 38 ] showed that changes in its concentrations between PCa and healthy men were not statistically significant.…”

“…Conversely, chemical analyses are based on the chemical characterisation of liquid urine or its headspace aiming to the detection of PCa biomarkers and the quantification of their amounts. They provide a detailed chemical mapping of urine through the adoption of different analytic techniques, such as gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, solid phase microextraction or ion exchange liquid chromatography [ 27 , 30 , 36 ].…”

“…Sroka et al [ 36 ] proposed the LC-ESI-QqQ-MS for the quantification of amino acids and amine concentrations in urine samples from PCa patients and men with diagnosed BPH. They aimed to determine whether amino acids and amine could be used to discriminate between PCa and BPH.…”

“…Many literary studies [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ] focused on the identification of a cancer-characteristic “odour fingerprint” emanated from biological samples, instead of a detailed chemical mapping, through the application of sensorial or senso-instrumental analyses. Other researchers [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ] suggested a chemical characterisation of biological fluids or of their gaseous headspace with the aim of identifying PCa-specific biomarkers.…”

How Precisely Can Prostate Cancer Be Managed?

“…Arginine, homoserine, and proline were more abundant in the urine samples of cancer patients. However, sarcosine was not a definitive indicator of PCa when analyzed in urine samples collected either before or after prostate massage [35]. …”