Two-dimensional immunoelectrophoretic analysis of urinary ultraconcentrates: antigenic differences between bladder cancer positive patients, normal individuals, and patients with urinary tract infections.

Urine ultraconcentrates (100-fold) from bladder cancer patients, patients suffering from urinary tract infection, and normal individuals were analyzed using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis. A combined sample of normal urine was resolved into 1 to 3 protein bands by PAGE, whereas a single concentrated bladder cancer urine was resolved into 10-12 protein bands. Yet, this same concentrated urine sample was resolved into 17-20 antigen peaks by two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis (2DIEP) against antihuman serum. A significant (P less than 0.05) increase was observed in the relative antigen concentration when comparing 2DIEP profiles of bladder cancer urines to normal controls. A significant increase in the relative antigen concentration and the number of antigen peaks was also found when comparing immunoelectrophoretic patterns obtained from ultraconcentrated urine specimens of bladder cancer positive urine and normal controls using a rabbit antibladder cancer urine antisera (P less than 0.002 and P less than 0.02, respectively). In addition, significant (P less than 0.02) antigenic differences were found when comparing concentrated urine samples from bladder cancer positive individuals to those with urinary tract infection. The bladder cancer group demonstrated 8/9 positive results for relative antigen concentrations greater than 3.0. Fifteen of 16 normal or urinary tract infected individuals combined had relative antigen concentrations less than 3.0. These differences were highly significant (P less than 0.001). No differences were found between concentrated bladder cancer and normal urine specimens tested against rabbit antinormal urine antisera.