Urinary Biomarkers Characteristic to Interstitial Cystitis

Extensive research has been done to understand the multifactorial etiology as well as to help diagnose IC. Infectious, autoimmune and anatomic causes have been looked at with few usable results. Inflammatory cells and markers have been more productive. Recently we have shown in the rat model, that chemically induced inflammation, yields temporal increases in measurable cytokines and chemokines in the urine. Moreover, this was done by Multiplex analysis, using a multiple antigen bead assay (Luminex).

Cytokines and chemokines, part of an organisms proteome, allow for looking at the function of a cell or organ at the time of the collection United States: Institutional Review Board. Urine is obtained non-invasively and yields significant information about urinary tract organs. The ability to find a biomarker or pattern of biomarker in the urine, diagnostic to a disease, offers significant advantages over serum or tissue diagnosis.

We hope to identify patterns of inflammatory markers using proteomic analysis using the previously mentioned multiple antigen cassettes (Luminex) as well as identify possible new biomarkers using a Protein Chip SELDI--TOF (surface enhanced laser desorption ionisation-time of flight) mass spectrometer. The detection of patterns or new biomarkers has promise to help with diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately revealing the etiology and course of IC.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients who have previously been contacted and consented to place a sample within the biobank. We will select five representative patients from the severe IC diagnosis, mild IC diagnosis, and no IC diagnosis, and we will match these patients as best as possible within the limited biobank samples.

Exclusion criteria

• None