Electronic circular dichroism for the detection of microalbuminuria |
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Authors: | Lucie Habartová Hana Logerová Lukáš Tomaník Aneta Marešová Vladimír Setnička |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague 6, Czech Republic;2. Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 10, Czech Republic |
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Abstract: | Over the past decades, chiroptical spectroscopy has proved its incomparable ability to elucidate the structure and spatial arrangement of chiral molecules. Systematic analysis of biomolecules in the natural environment of biofluids, however, remains challenging. In this study, we used chiroptical spectroscopy to monitor urinary levels of human serum albumin. Not only severe proteinuria but even just a slightly increased urinary excretion of albumin (microalbuminuria) may indicate serious health complications, especially for diabetic individuals. Given the chiral nature of albumin and its typical spectral pattern, it may be easily observable by chiroptical spectroscopy, particularly electronic circular dichroism. The performed chiroptical analysis of urine not only allowed the detection of clinically confirmed microalbuminuria but was also able to reveal this pathological condition in cases beyond the diagnostic capability of common clinical procedures. Thus, our approach suggests that electronic circular dichroism is a useful tool for the fast and reliable qualitative monitoring of microalbuminuria with the potential for a quantitative analysis in the future. |
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Keywords: | albumin biofluid chiroptical spectroscopy diabetes diagnosis urine |
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