Analyzing RNA in urine for cell changes may allow some individuals to avoid invasive biopsies. When it comes to curing and preventing diseases early detection is critical, however, not everyone has easy access to the screening tools needed for testing. For health problems like cancer and those in the genitourinary tract (GU) a combination of screening tools like imaging, physical examinations, and blood tests are part of the process. Scientists at The University of Texas at Arlington, Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub, and Stanford University are working on developing an even simpler tool for screening for illness: urine analysis.
The study published in Clinical Chemistry describes the team studying RNA and other substances within urine showing changes in cell types, revealing early signs of cancer as well as other diseases. This new method may help clinicians to detect health problems at earlier stages when they are easier to treat without invasive procedures.
“The current gold standard for detecting many GU ailments is a biopsy where small tissue is removed during a rectal exam and sent to the lab for analysis. The invasive nature of the test can scare some people from getting the care they need,” said Joseph Buonomo, assistant professor of chemistry at UTA and an author of the study. “Our preliminary research shows that studying the RNA found in urine can detect some ailments in their earliest stages where they are easily—and cost effectively—managed.”
Detecting biomarkers in urine
For this study, urine samples were collected from two groups of participants: one group of healthy individuals as controls and another group of people with kidney stones. Two types of RNA were taken from the urine samples: cell-free RNA which floats in urine and sediment RNA which comes from solid particles. The analysis, sequencing, and comparison revealed that advanced urine analysis was able to identify patterns in cells that were indicative of whether a person has a disease.
“We’re excited about this new research as it may lead to new, easier screening tools that can help detect diseases of the bladder, kidneys, and prostate,” said Buonomo. “Although our patient cohort was small, it lays the groundwork for development of a type of ‘non-invasive liquid biopsy’ that will be used to track the progression of ailments like kidney stones, diabetes, and cancer using urine instead of surgical specimens.”
Moving forward in the next phase of research the team is working on advanced deep machine learning techniques to further fine-tune the differences that can be detected when comparing RNA and protein signatures with hopes of identifying additional biomarkers that can help to open new paths for this simpler and less invasive diagnostic procedure for future use.
Another development in urine-based testing
In other research, recently a team of researchers at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center developed a new urine-based test that addresses a major problem in prostate cancer: how to separate the slow-growing form of the disease unlikely to cause harm from more aggressive cancer that needs immediate treatment. This urine analysis also detects biomarkers and helps patients avoid invasive biopsies. Their study was published in JAMA Oncology.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
UT Arlington – UTA – The University of Texas at Arlington
https://academic.oup.com/clinchem/advance-article/doi/10.1093/clinchem/hvae137/7816226