Serum and urine analysis with gold nanoparticle‑assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry for renal cell carcinoma metabolic biomarkers discovery
July 2021
Abstract
Purpose: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a highly aggressive and often fatal heterogeneous disease, typically asymptomatic until advanced stages. There’s an urgent need for specific clinical biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic use.
Materials and Methods: Serum and urine samples from RCC patients were analyzed using gold nanoparticle-enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (AuNPET-LDI MS) and statistical metabolomic methods.
Results: The study identified multiple promising metabolic features: four potential biomarkers in both urine and serum distinguishing clear cell RCC (ccRCC) from controls; four differentiating ccRCC with versus without metastases; and six discriminating high versus low stages/grades.
Conclusions: This pilot study suggests AuNPET-LDI MS metabolomics in serum and urine can be a viable non‑invasive tool to classify RCC types, grades, and stages