Urinary interleukin-1β levels among gynecological patients

Abstract

BackgroundEarly detection of epithelial ovarian cancer (OC) is necessary to overcome the high mortality rate of late stage diagnosis; and, examining the molecular changes that occur at early disease onset may provide new strategies for OC detection. Since the deregulation of inflammatory mediators can contribute to OC development, the purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether elevated urinary levels of Interleukin-1beta (IL-1 beta) are associated with OC and associated clinical parameters.MethodsUrinary and serum levels of IL-1 beta were analyzed by ELISA from a patient cohort consisting of healthy women (N = 10), women with ovarian benign disease (N = 23), women with OC (N = 32), women with other benign gynecological conditions (N = 22), and women with other gynecological cancers (N = 6).ResultsAverage urinary IL-1 beta levels tended to be elevated in ovarian benign (1.26 pg/ml) and OC (1.57 pg/ml) patient samples compared to healthy individuals (0.36 pg/ml). Among patients with benign disease, urinary IL-1β levels were statistically higher in patients with benign inflammatory gynecologic disease compared to patients with non-inflammatory benign disease. Interestingly, urinary IL-1 beta levels tended to be 3-6x greater in patients with benign ovarian disease or OC as well as with a concomitant family history of ovarian and/or breast cancer compared to similar patients without a family history of ovarian and/or breast cancer. Lastly, there was a pattern of increased urinary IL-1 beta with increasing body mass index (BMI); patients with a normal BMI averaged urinary IL-1 beta levels of 0.92 pg/ml, overweight BMI averaged urinary IL-1 beta levels of 1.72 pg/ml, and obese BMI averaged urinary IL-1 beta levels of 5.26 pg/ml.ConclusionsThis pilot study revealed that urinary levels of IL-1 beta are elevated in patients with epithelial OC supporting the thought that inflammation might be associated with cancer progression. Consequently, further studies of urinary IL-1 beta and the identification of an inflammatory profile specific to OC development may be beneficial to reduce the mortality associated with this disease.

BRCA1 185delAG Mutation Enhances Interleukin-1βExpression in Ovarian Surface Epithelial Cells

“…Elevated levels of IL-6 have been found in the serum and ascites of OC patients [ 71 ] and are also associated with poor prognosis [ 2 ]. In support of the data reported herein, we recently found that urinary levels of IL-1 β were generally 5 times greater in women with OC compared to healthy controls [ 72 ]. Interestingly, while exact BRCA1 mutational status could not be determined, we also found that urinary levels of IL-1 β were 3 times higher among women with benign ovarian disease and a FH of breast/ovarian cancer compared with women with benign ovarian disease and lacking a FH of breast/ovarian cancer.…”

Urine biomarkers in cancer detection: A systematic review of preanalytical parameters and applied methods

“…Twelve studies explored the diagnostic and predictive potential of proteins and metabolites in urine for OC 64‐75 . Four studies show the potential of DNA methylation profiles, miRNA expression and exosomes in urine for detection 76‐79 .…”

“…Twelve studies explored the diagnostic and predictive potential of proteins and metabolites in urine for OC. [64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75] Four studies show the potential of DNA methylation profiles, miRNA expression and exosomes in urine for detection. [76][77][78][79] Although all these studies showed good performance, almost none specified which urine fraction or preservation method, if any, they used.…”