Whether Dye-Based Methods Are Ready for Microalbuminuria Detection: A Review of Research in the Field

Dye-based methods are popular for serum albumin estimation. However, recently dyes have been tried for microalbuminuria detection. The dyes are non-specific for albumin and bind to the other protein fractions in the biological sample. Apart from albumin, other proteins are also excreted in the urine. Thus, dye-based microalbumin detection can produce a false positive result for microalbuminuria detection. In this context, we have observed that the literature is flooded with the discovery of various dyes that bind with albumin. In the present work, we have reviewed the suitability of dye-based albumin detection, considering the recently developed dyes. Our findings highlight a need to study various dyes/new dyes and explore their binding pattern with proteins present in the plasma/urine sample. It is urgently needed to develop an analytical method of a dye-based specific microalbuminuria detection system. Microalbuminuria is the major predictor of diabetic nephropathy. It is associated with other common clinical conditions like hypertension. Therefore, analysis of microalbuminuria is routinely done in clinical chemistry laboratories. There are excellent reviews on albumin detection. However, issues concerning dye-based albumin detection, including microalbuminuria detection, are yet to be reviewed. Immunochemical-based methods are popular for microalbuminuria detection as on date. Nevertheless, it fails to detect the immunounreactive fragments. We believe this aspect can be addressed by developing a dye specific for albumin that can detect its small quantity in human urine.