Proteomic patterns established with capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry for diagnostic purposes.
BACKGROUND
Proteomics applied in large scale may provide a useful diagnostic tool.


METHODS
We developed an online combination of capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometry, allowing fast and sensitive evaluation of polypeptides found in body fluids. Utilizing this technology, polypeptide patterns from urine are established within 45 minutes. About 900 to 2500 polypeptides as well as their concentrations are detected in individual urine samples without the need for specific reagents such as antibodies. To test this method for clinical application, we examined spot urine samples from 57 healthy individuals, 16 patients with minimal change disease (MCD), 18 patients with membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), and 10 patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).


RESULTS
One-hundred seventy-three polypeptides were present in more than 90% of the urine samples obtained from healthy individuals, while 690 polypeptides were present with more than 50% probability. These data permitted the establishment of a "normal" polypeptide pattern in healthy individuals. Polypeptides found in the urine of patients differed significantly from the normal controls. These differences allowed the distinction of specific protein spectra in patients with different primary renal diseases. Abnormal pattern of proteins were found even in urine from patients in clinical remission.


CONCLUSIONS
The data indicate that capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometry coupling provides a promising tool that permits fast and accurate identification and differentiation of protein patterns in body fluids of healthy and diseased individuals, thus enabling diagnosis based on these patterns.
Weissinger
Eva M
EM
Mosaiques Diagnostics and Therapeutics AG, Hannover, Germany.
Wittke
Stefan
S
Kaiser
Thorsten
T
Haller
Hermann
H
Bartel
Sebastian
S
Krebs
Ronald
R
Golovko
Igor
I
Rupprecht
Harald D
HD
Haubitz
Marion
M
Hecker
Hartmut
H
Mischak
Harald
H
Fliser
Danilo
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D005260:Female; D015433:Glomerulonephritis, Membranous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009402:Nephrosis, Lipoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine; D010455:Peptides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000652:urine; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*
D010455:Peptides