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University of Pittsburgh researchers have isolated two biomarkers
for interstitial cystitis for which there currently is no test.
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SAN ANTONIO – University of Pittsburgh researchers have
isolated two biomarkers for interstitial cystitis (IC), a
chronic and painful pelvic disease for which there currently
is no test. The discovery of these biomarkers could lead to
a definitive test for IC and have the potential to lead to
new therapies. Results of two studies are being presented
today at the annual meeting of the American Urological
Association (AUA) in San Antonio, and are published in
abstracts 69 and 80 of the AUA proceedings.
"IC is a frustrating disease for patients because, to this point,
there is no accurate way of diagnosing the condition. Patients
undergo a variety of tests to rule out other diseases, all while
experiencing significant pain and discomfort. Only after these tests
come back negative, can a doctor make the diagnosis of IC," said
Michael Chancellor, M.D., professor, department of urology,
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
"Finding a marker for IC can not only make developing an early
test for IC possible, but it can lead to new targeted molecular
therapies for the condition," said Fernando de Miguel, Ph.D.,
assistant professor of urology at Pitt's School of Medicine.
In the first study, titled "Identification of Nuclear Proteins in
the Chronic Cystitic Rat Model" (abstract 69), researchers used a
proteomic approach to identify specific markers related to IC. By
comparing protein expression in the bladder tissue of two animal
models of IC to expression in the tissue of a normal animal, the
researchers found three nuclear proteins that were unique to the
animals with IC. Using protein mass fingerprinting, the proteins
were identified as transgelin (SM-22), ras suppressor protein
(RSU-1) and GAPDH.
In the second study, titled "Time-point study of the Regulation
of Nuclear Protein SM-22 (Transgelin) in the Rat Cystitis Model"
(abstract 80), the researchers expanded their investigation into the
expression of SM-22 in both normal and IC-model bladders. The
bladders were instilled with hydrochloric acid; tissue was analyzed
at one, four, seven, 13 and 28 days after instillation. After day
one and day four, there was a noticeable down-regulation of SM-22 in
the IC-model bladders; by day 28, there was a reduction by 31
percent of the SM-22 in the diseased models.
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The early down-regulation of SM-22, evident as early as day one,
shows that the absence of SM-22 can potentially be used as an early
diagnostic marker for IC. The University of Pittsburgh researchers
plan to conduct more research into SM-22 to determine the protein's
functional role, which could lead the way to future
molecular-targeted therapies.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and
Kidney Diseases, 700,000 Americans have IC; 90 percent are women. IC
is one of the chronic pelvic pain disorders, defined by recurring
discomfort or pain in the bladder and surrounding pelvic region.
Symptoms vary and can include any combination of mild to severe
pain, pressure and tenderness in the bladder and pelvic area; and an
urgent and/or frequent need to urinate. In IC, the bladder wall may
become scarred or irritated, and pinpoint bleeding may appear on the
bladder wall.
Also contributing to this research were Thu-Suong Van Le, Uukio
Hayashi, Shachi Tyagi and Naoki Yoshimura, all from the University
of Pittsburgh.
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Research was funded through grants from the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the Fishbein Family
CURE-IC.
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