Noninvasive Urine Markers of Interstitial Cystitis
Abstract
Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC) is a debilitating condition that presents with a confusing array of symptoms, including bladder pain, urinary urgency, frequency, nocturia, and small voided volumes in the absence of other identifiable symptoms. Currently, the diagnosis of IC is largely dependent on subjective parameters, leading to extreme difficulties in accurately phenotyping patients. There is no gold standard for IC diagnosis. In general, it takes approximately 4-5 years from the first office visit to obtain a definitive diagnosis of IC. Thus, differentiating IC from other conditions is still a diagnostic challenge, and objective diagnostic markers are urgently needed to improve prospects for clinical care. To address this need, we propose to substantially build on our promising preliminary data and determine whether candidate urinary biomarkers we have identified are diagnostic indicators of IC. We have obtained evidence that levels of a specific metabolite, tyramine, and certain defined characteristics of the cannabinoid 2 receptor (CNR2) gene may indicate the presence of IC in patients. In this study, we will assess whether these promising biomarkers can segregate IC patients from control subjects, and whether they are potentially involved in bladder pain. We believe that accurate identification of IC patients will provide patients and their physicians with the confidence to choose active management, thus improving the quality of life and reducing the cost for diagnosis. If these candidate factors prove to be non-invasive classifiers that can discriminate IC patients from controls, this study can be the basis for one or more prospective clinical trials and thus has direct relevance to improvement of patient care. We also seek in the long term to validate druggable targets for therapeutic strategies. Importantly, our research team includes experts and leaders in urology, molecular and cell biology, chemical analysts, pathology, and biomarker development that can promote the adoption of effective and proven tests for IC diagnosis. This study will have significant clinical impact because results may lead to clinical methods to increase diagnostic accuracy and an improved understanding of the molecular origins of IC and its relationship to urologic conditions with overlapping symptoms.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 04, 2016
- Source ID
- W81XWH1510415
Entities
People
- Jayoung Kim
Organizations
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- United States Army