Identification of molecular biomarkers in human serum for chronic kidney disease using attenuated total...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Medical Diagnostics
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are major global health concerns with significant morbidity and mortality.
• Serum analysis using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy shows potential for CKD diagnosis, but research is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and compare serum spectral profiles of hemodialysis patients (ESRD) and healthy controls using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy.
• To evaluate the efficacy of multivariate analysis techniques, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), in distinguishing between ESRD and control groups based on spectral data.

Main Methods:

• Serum samples from 21 hemodialysis patients and 21 age/sex-matched healthy controls were analyzed using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region (4000-400 cm⁻¹).
• Multivariate statistical methods (PCA and PLS-DA) were employed to analyze spectral data and identify distinguishing features.
• Classification performance was assessed using accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity metrics.

Main Results:

• ATR-FTIR spectroscopy revealed elevated spectral intensity in ESRD serum samples compared to controls.
• PCA successfully differentiated ESRD from control samples across specific spectral regions.
• PLS-DA achieved perfect classification (100% accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity), particularly with combined spectral regions, highlighting significant alterations in lipids, proteins (amide I/II bands), carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and immunoglobulins in ESRD patients.

Conclusions:

• ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis is a rapid, cost-effective, and highly accurate screening tool for detecting ESRD.
• The study identified specific spectral biomarkers indicative of biochemical changes associated with CKD pathophysiology.
• This approach offers valuable insights into disease-related molecular alterations and contributes to the limited research in spectroscopic diagnostics for CKD.