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.