Urinary proteomics and metabolomics studies to monitor bladder health and urological diseases

Abstract

BackgroundAssays of molecular biomarkers in urine are non-invasive compared to other body fluids and can be easily repeated. Based on the hypothesis that the secreted markers from the diseased organs may locally release into the body fluid in the vicinity of the injury, urine-based assays have been considered beneficial to monitoring bladder health and urological diseases. The urine proteome is much less complex than the serum and tissues, but nevertheless can contain biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. The urine metabolome has a much higher number and concentration of low-molecular metabolites than the serum or tissues, with a far lower lipid concentration, yet informs directly about dietary and microbial metabolism.DiscussionWe here discuss the use of mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics for urine biomarker assays, specifically with respect to the underlying mechanisms that trigger the pathological condition.ConclusionMolecular biomarker profiles, based on proteomics and metabolomics studies, reliably distinguish patients from healthy controls, stratify sub-populations with respect to treatment options, and predict therapeutic response of patients with urological disease.

Translational Research for Pediatric Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction

“…For example, groups investigated the expression level of prostaglandin E2 and nerve growth factor (NGF) for overactive bladder (OAB) in children, but in both cases it is difficult to prove whether these molecules are secreted from the bladder or from the kidney [9-11]. Comprehensive proteomics using mass spectrometry has been investigated for upper urinary tract diseases, but not applied to LUTD yet [12,13]. …”

Urine: Waste product or biologically active tissue?

“…Much like how water quality may affect the ecologic health of a body of water, urine quality is proposed as a potential factor contributing to bladder health. Specifically, the authors define urine quality as the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of urine, including the microbiota, cells, exosomes, pH, metabolites, proteins, and specific gravity (among others). These features might interact in complex ways with one another and the bladder and/or kidney to potentially affect health.…”

“…Investigators have used sophisticated methods such as mass spectrometry to identify and catalog concentrations of exosomes, cells, proteins, and other small molecules in urine to identify constituents that might predict or indicate the presence of diseases such as urinary incontinence (UI), overactive bladder, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), and UTIs. [5][6][7][8][9][10] The current status of urine biomarkers for IC/BPS recently has been reviewed; to date no urine biomarker has been determined to be diagnostic. 11 Notwithstanding, urine may play roles in human health beyond waste excretion.…”

Identification of Urinary Biomarkers for Exercise-Induced Immunosuppression by iTRAQ Proteomics

“…Urinary proteins have been used as a noninvasive biomarker that can accurately monitor the body's stress under various psychophysiological changes and identify the body's condition in strenuous or unaccustomed exercise, competitions, overtraining, and improper recovery in sports [27,28]. Urine is also an ideal source of biomarkers because it contains less lipid and more polypeptides, which are much higher in serum or tissue [29]. e development of proteomics technology provides a high-throughput, efficient, accurate, and sensitive research platform and enables the investigation of the relationship between exercise-induced immunomodulation and urine protein components [30].…”