Non-invasive Assessment of Mechano-chemical Properties of Urine Proteins by Hybrid Brillouin-Raman Spectroscopy

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The proteinuria is widely recognized as a marker of kidney disease severity, as well as the predictor of renal function decline, cardiovascular outcomes, and all-cause mortality. However, the severity of kidney disease progression and these outcomes differs among patients with various amount of proteinuria. The potential mechanism underlining this disparity may be relevant to the quality and quantity of filtered proteins, especially their mechano-chemical properties such as physical viscosity and stiffness, amino-acid sequence, and molecular weight (low, middle and high molecular weight proteins). The goal of the current project is to develop and validate combined Brillouin & Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Spectroscopy technique for simultaneous non-contact assessment of visco-elastic and chemical properties of urine proteins as biomarkers of kidney disease. Systematic studies of these properties of proteins in urine samples to be taken from diseased and healthy subjects will be cross-validated by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LCMS). The project ultimately aims for the development of an optical spectroscopic sensor for rapid, non-contact monitoring of urine samples from patients in clinical settings.

Official Title
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Development and Validation of Hybrid Brillouin-Raman Spectroscopy for Non-invasive Assessment of Mechano-chemical Properties of Urine Proteins as Biomarkers of Kidney Diseases

Conditions
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Nephrotic Syndrome

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: hybrid Brillouin-Raman spectroscopy


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Both male and female patients with any ethnic group, aged between 18-65 years old Newly diagnosed patients with glomerulonephritis and different range of proteinuria Exclusion Criteria: patients aged <18 and >65 years, eGFR<60 ml/min, pregnant females, patients with diabetes mellitus, cancer, infectious diseases, and other life-treating comorbidities/conditions

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Patients with proteinuria<br>Patients with newly diagnosed glomerulonephritis with different range of proteinuria at the age between 18-65 years and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥60 ml/min will be included for urine protein measurements | Device: hybrid Brillouin-Raman spectroscopy<br>* Combination of Brillouin and surface-enhanced Raman (SERS) spectroscopy for assessment of both visco-elastic (i.e. mechanical) and chemical characterization of urinary proteins at the same time from the same excitation laser source<br>|
| Healthy volunteers<br>Healthy men/women between age group 18-65 years will be included for urine protein measurements | Device: hybrid Brillouin-Raman spectroscopy<br>* Combination of Brillouin and surface-enhanced Raman (SERS) spectroscopy for assessment of both visco-elastic (i.e. mechanical) and chemical characterization of urinary proteins at the same time from the same excitation laser source<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Non-invasive assessment of mechano-chemical properties of urine proteins by hybrid Brillouin-Raman spectroscopy in a patient with nephrotic syndrome | Urine sample measurements by Brillouin and surface enhanced Raman (SERS) spectroscopy | four weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Non-invasive assessment of mechano-chemical properties of urine proteins by hybrid Brillouin-Raman spectroscopy in a patient with nephrotic syndrome | Correlation and cross-validation of urinary protein Brillouin and SERS spectroscopy measurements by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (with proteomic measurements). | four weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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urinary proteins, Brillouin spectroscopy, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, proteomics, non-invasive assessment