Cancer can be detected in a urine sample

Researchers have succeeded in developing a nanowire-based device capable of detecting microscopic levels of markers in urine that suggest the development of cancer

[by Dr. Nachmani Moshe]

Researchers from Nagoya University in Japan have succeeded in developing a nanowire-based device capable of detecting microscopic levels of markers in urine that suggest the development of cancer.

Cells in the body communicate with each other through a number of different mechanisms. Some of these mechanisms are well known: in animals, for example, threats from predators may initiate the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that circulates in the blood and causes the heart and muscle cells to initiate a 'fight or flight' response (Fight or Flight). A much less known cellular communication mechanism is called 'extracellular vesicles' (EV: extracellular vesicles). These bubbles can be imagined as small "lumps" of cells that are able to move within the body and transmit messages to other cells. These messengers are becoming increasingly recognized as crucial mediators in cellular communication.

In a new study published in the scientific journal Science Advances, researchers from Nagoya University in Japan have developed an innovative medical device capable of effectively capturing these bubbles, and using them to detect cancer. "Extracellular vesicles are useful as clinical markers. "The composition of the molecules inside these bubbles may provide a diagnostic clue to a number of diseases," said the lead researcher. The constant challenge of every doctor in every field is to find a non-invasive diagnostic tool that will allow him to monitor the condition of his patients on a regular basis - for example, with the help of a urine sample."

Among the multitude of molecules found inside the bubbles are molecules called microRNAs (microRNAs), which are short segments of nucleic acid that play a diverse role in cellular biology. Moreover, the presence of certain microRNA molecules in urine may be used as a 'red flag' for the existence of serious diseases such as bladder and prostate cancer.

Although this mechanism could theoretically help doctors diagnose cancer, there are still many technological difficulties that must be overcome. An example of such a difficulty is finding a viable method to capture the bubbles in quantities sufficient to measure them using standard clinical equipment.

"The content of these bubbles in the urine is extremely low, at a level of less than 0.01% of the total volume of the liquid. This fact constitutes a serious obstacle for their use as a diagnostic tool," notes the lead researcher. "Our solution was to embed zinc oxide nanowires inside a special polymer in order to create a material that we believe will be able to capture these bubbles with high efficiency. Our findings suggest that our device is indeed extremely effective - we achieved a collection rate of more than 99%, a level much higher than existing methods used in this field, for example a method of the ultracentrifugation type."

In order to test the applicability of their device, the researchers compared the microRNA content of the vesicles isolated from healthy subjects against those of patients already diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer. In particular, in the new method, only one milliliter of urine was used, which contained a greater number of microRNAs and different types, compared to normal sucrose methods.

"Finding a specific and rare marker that can help in the definite diagnosis of cancer is a difficult task. This is especially true for microRNA molecules, which are a relatively new family of markers used in this field," explains the lead researcher. "Sometimes, finding just one reliable microRNA is considered a scientific success. Using our method, we were surprised to find not just one, but entire combinations of microRNAs that may be associated with different types of cancer. The findings are obviously only preliminary, but we hope that our device can help lay the foundation for finding easier ways to diagnose life-threatening diseases, as early as possible."

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