Peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene array profiles in patients with overactive bladder

To investigate the utility of using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as a marker for patients with overactive bladder (OAB). Patients with OAB may suffer from varying degrees of symptoms such as frequency, urgency, nocturia, and incontinence; however, there is no definitive test for OAB at this time. Questionnaires may provide useful tools for screening patients for OAB but often clinicians may need to rely on more invasive procedures to confirm the diagnosis. We have previously demonstrated that PBMC can provide a reporter function in solid organ retroperitoneal disease.

Twenty-one patients were assessed for OAB. PBMC was obtained from whole blood of the patients, and RNA was subjected to microarray gene chip analysis.

Microarray analysis revealed that 16 genes were differentially regulated (8 upregulated and 8 downregulated) in all patients with OAB in comparison with healthy controls. A sex-based analysis demonstrated 74 genes that were differentially regulated in males (25 upregulated and 49 downregulated), and 30 in females (13 upregulated and 17 downregulated). Of these platelet-derived growth factors, microfibrillar-associated protein and tropomyosin were downregulated in all sets that were analyzed.

Microarray analysis revealed many genes that were differentially regulated in PBMC from OAB patients, including regulatory elements and genes encoding structural proteins, which may be important in regulating structural integrity of the bladder and supporting tissues. These data suggest that PBMC can provide a reporter function for patients with OAB and may serve as a diagnostic marker and elucidate genes involved in this condition.