Evaluation of Urothelial Tamm-Horsfall Protein and Serum Antibody as a Potential Diagnostic Marker for Interstitial Cystitis

Stein, Paul C.; Santamaria, Pablo J.; Kurtz, Stephen G.; Parsons, C. Lowell

doi:10.1016/s0022-5347(17)35791-9

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 11 publications

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“…Attempts to correlate levels of this protein with the pathobiology of IC have appeared in the literature, but are inconclusive from either a diagnostic or etiological viewpoint. 14,15,[17][18][19] By interacting with urinary polyamines (or other cationic species), THP could theoretically reduce urinary toxicity and cellular damage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urothelial cytoprotective activity of Tamm–Horsfall protein isolated from the urine of healthy subjects and patients with interstitial cystitis

et al. 2000

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Purpose: Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) is a ubiquitous urinary protein with essentially no known function. We propose that THP is a cytoprotective agent that protects the urothelium from cationic species. To test this hypothesis we isolated THP from normal and interstitial cystitis urine to see if it could protect cultured cells from damage induced by the polyamine, protamine sulfate (PS). Methods: Tamm-Horsfall protein was extracted from the urine of interstitial cystitis (IC) patients (N = 28) and normal volunteers (N = 5). Urothelial target cells (T24) were radiolabeled with 51 Cr and then exposed to PS (0-1.0 mg/mL) for either 1.5 or 20 h. The resulting cytotoxicity data (dose-response curves) were then compared with the data obtained when PS was preincubated with 0-0.5 mg/mL of THP (IC vs normal), the semisynthetic polysaccharide, pentosan polysulfate (Elmiron), or human serum albumin. Results: Toxicity of PS was significantly reduced by incubation with THP (or Elmiron) prior to evaluation by the chromium release assay, but not reduced by incubating with another protein, albumin. Tamm-Horsfall protein from IC patients' urine was less protective than an equal quantity of THP from normal urine. Conclusions:These experiments suggest that THP has an important role in bladder mucosal defense mechanisms, protecting the bladder surface from injury. Inability of THP to prevent cytotoxic damage by urinary polyamine or other urinary toxins (cationic species) may be relevant in the etiology of interstitial cystitis, as putative urinary toxic components have been described in the urine of some patients.

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