TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION
TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY
New method for the pretreatment of human urine samples, comprising the simultaneous extraction, concentration and purification of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a prostate cancer biomarker.
In this technology, aqueous biphasic systems composed of ionic liquids and salts are used. These systems allow the selective extraction of PSA and to obtain high concentration/enrichment factors, enabling the quantification of PSA using less sophisticated, cheaper and more affordable equipment.
CONTEXT
The PSA (tumor biomarker) quantification in serum is currently used for the early stage diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). However, most of the available techniques for PSA quantification require extensive sample processing and expensive analysis (e.g. ELISA) that are mostly unavailable in low-income countries in which the mortality associated to PCa is higher. Furthermore, blood is an invasive matrix that requires certified personnel for collection. PSA is also present and can be detected in urine, a less invasive matrix. However, the current methods for its quantification in urine are highly expensive and cumbersome.
The developed cost-effective technology allows the simultaneous specific extraction, concentration and purification of PSA from urine samples using aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) composed of ionic liquids and salts. This technology allows a lossless and contaminant-free extraction and high concentrated factors in a single-step.
BENEFITS
NON-INVASIVE: this technology allows the use of urine as sample for PSA quantification.
SELECTIVE AND EFFECTIVE EXTRACTION, PURIFICATION AND CONCENTRATION OF PSA AND ITS ISOFORMS, allowing the use of urine for primary or complementary prostate cancer diagnosis and evaluation.
CHEAPER AND SIMPLER ANALYTIC TECHNIQUES: as high concentration factors are obtained, it is possible to quantify PSA with simpler analytical techniques, and requiring less laborious pre-treatment techniques.
POTENTIALLY HIGHER PREDICTIVE VALUE thanks to PSA and respective isoforms specific extraction.
LIMITATIONS
N.A.
APPLICATIONS
- QUANTIFICATION OF PSA AND ITS ISOFORMS IN URINE
- EARLY STAGE DIAGNOSTICS AND ASSESSMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT EVOLUTION AND EFFICIENCY
Readiness Level (TRL)
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STATUS
Current status
Provisional patent application filed in Portugal (priority date: 29-10-2018)
AVAILABILITY
Available for
Licensing
INVENTOR / TEAM
Researchers from Aveiro Institute of Materials (CICECO) from the University of Aveiro
