Analysis of urinary sphingolipids using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in diabetic nephropathy.

Abstract

AIMS/INTRODUCTION:

Sphingolipids, such as ceramides and sphingosine, are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes; however, the modulation of urinary sphingolipids in diabetic nephropathy has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to develop a simultaneous measurement system for urinary sphingolipids using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and to elucidate the modulation of urinary sphingolipids in diabetic nephropathy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

We established a simultaneous measurement system for the urinary sphingosine, dihydrosphingosine, and six ceramide species (Cer d18:1/16:0, Cer d18:1/18:0, Cer d18:1/18:1, Cer d18:1/20:0, Cer d18:1/22:0 and Cer d18:1/24:0), and we examined the urinary sphingolipids in 64 type 2 diabetes patients and 15 control participants.

RESULTS:

The established measurement system for the urinary sphingolipids showed good precision for Cer d18:1/16:0, Cer d18:1/20:0, Cer d18:1/22:0 and Cer d18:1/24:0. We observed that the urinary levels of Cer d18:1/16:0, Cer d18:1/18:0, Cer d18:1/20:0, Cer d18:1/22:0 and Cer d18:1/24:0 were elevated in patients with stage 3 of diabetic nephropathy, and were correlated with urinary biomarkers, such as albumin and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, and sediment score.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our method is useful for the measurement of ceramide in urine specimens, and urinary ceramides might be associated with the pathological condition of diabetic nephropathy, such as renal tubular injury.

• Authors: Yoshifumi Morita, Makoto Kurano, Eri Sakai, Takako Nishikawa, Masako Nishikawa, Motoji Sawabe, Junken Aoki, Yutaka Yatomi
• Journal: Journal of diabetes investigation (J Diabetes Investig) Vol. 11 Issue 2 Pg. 441-449 (Mar 2020) ISSN: 2040-1124 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 31580528 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Ceramides
• Sphingolipids

Topics

• Aged
• Biomarkers (urine)
• Ceramides (urine)
• Chromatography, Liquid (methods)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (complications, diagnosis, urine)
• Diabetic Nephropathies (complications, diagnosis, urine)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Sphingolipids (urine)
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry (methods)