The application of urinary proteomics in early detection of digestive diseases

Abstract

Digestive diseases are disorders of the digestive organs, which may range from benign to serious. There is an inherent difficulty in diagnosis and treatment of various chronic digestive diseases; thus noninvasive early biomarkers are desperately needed. Without homeostasis mechanisms, urine is an ideal biomarker source that can reflect the early changes of disease theoretically. In this section, we will introduce the new studies of the urine proteome in rat models of three digestive diseases including liver fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease. Many potential biomarkers were found earlier than clinical symptom and significant pathological changes that may provide important clues for the early detection of these diseases. We think urine proteome has a broad application prospect in the early diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and prognosis of digestive diseases.