(372s) Utilizing Capillary Isoelectric Focusing to Identify Uremic Toxins in the Urine of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Across America, 26 million adults suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD). With a population of around 327 million, CKD afflicts one in ten people. The clearance of toxins in the blood directly relates with the kidney’s capacity to filter blood properly. As CKD causes decrease in renal function, certain uremic toxins, otherwise known in dialysis as middle molecules, begin to gather, resulting in elevated amounts in the patient’s urine. Elevated levels in urine directly correlates to elevated blood serum levels. When middle molecule levels, such as beta-2-microglobin and indoxyl-sulfate, accumulate across various systems of the body, medical complications arise caused by the addition of oxidative stress. Conventional methods fail to detect these species, as they are typically intermediates or degraded components of complicated biological processes. Capillary isoelectric focusing applies the isoelectric points (pI) of peptides and other molecular species to separate and distinguish them from each other. By the utilization of known pI markers, an unknown species may be identified from interpolation. Concentration data can be gathered and compared to normal urine. With this advancement, earlier detection of kidney disease may be possible. Early detection is crucial to avoiding the life-threatening, long-term effects of CKD.