Peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene array profiles in female patients with involuntary bladder contractions

Background: Patients with urgency represent a group of incontinence sufferers whose diagnosis remains difficult to establish. Urodynamic testing demonstrating involuntary bladder contraction provides objective confirmation but represents an invasive approach. We have previously demonstrated that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) can provide a reporter function in solid organ disease toward biomarker discovery. Here we investigated the utility of using PBMC as marker for patients with confirmed involuntary bladder contraction. Methods: Fifteen female patients were evaluated for involuntary bladder contractions and stress urinary incontinence as demonstrated by urodynamics and also assessed for pelvic prolapse, stress incontinence by history, bladder neck dysfunction, and bladder capacity. PBMC were obtained from patients’ whole blood, and RNA was subjected to microarray gene chip analysis. Results: Microarray analysis revealed that eleven genes were differentially regulated (five upregulated and six downregulated). Of these, PGRMC1 (progesterone receptor membrane component 1), EIF2S3 (eukaryotic initiation factor), C3AR1 (complement receptor), and three unknown genes were downregulated. Upregulated genes included MYOM2 (myomesin M-protein), a cytoskeletal protein; KTN1 (kinectin); and AAK 1 (AP2 associated kinase). Conclusions: Microarray analysis revealed many genes that were differentially regulated in PBMC from patients with involuntary detrusor contractions. These genes may be important in regulating structural integrity of bladder and supporting tissues. These data suggest that PBMC can provide a reporter function for patients with involuntary bladder contractions and may serve toward biomarker discovery for novel diagnostic markers and/or the ability to monitor response to therapy.