Prostaglandin E-major Urinary Metabolite Research Articles

Utility of a rapid assay for prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite as a biomarker in pediatric ulcerative colitis

Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) is a urinary biomarker reflecting ulcerative colitis (UC) activity. This prospective observational study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of PGE-MUM via rapid chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay in detecting endoscopic remission (ER) and histologic remission (HR) in pediatric UC (6–16 years) in comparison with fecal calprotectin (FCP). ER and HR were defined as Mayo endoscopic score (MES) of 0 and Matts’ histological grades (Matts) of 1 or 2, respectively. A total of 104 UC and 39 functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) were analyzed. PGE-MUM levels were significantly higher in the UC group than in the FGID group (P < 0.001). FCP levels were significantly elevated in the group without ER and HR than in the group with ER and HR (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001), whereas PGE-MUM levels were significantly higher in the group without ER compared to the group with ER (P < 0.001). No significant differences were noted in the AUCs for PGE-MUM and FCP in detecting ER and HR. Although PGE-MUM was inferior to FCP for the detection of HR, it might have the potential for application as a biomarker of endoscopic activity in pediatric UC owing to its noninvasive and rapid method.

Significant increase in prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite with physical exercise suggesting muscle inflammation

Introduction: Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) may be a good biomarker of inflammation and useful in monitoring diseases, without the necessity of invasive sampling. To see whether inflammation in muscles occurs during physical exercise, the influence of physical exercise on urinary PGE-MUM levels was analyzed in high school boys belonging to a soccer club. Materials and methods: Void urine samples were obtained before and after physical exercises 1 (mild exercise) and 2 (repeated mild exercise). To avoid the influence of a change in urinary volume, PGE-MUM values (ng/mL) were corrected by the concentration of urinary creatinine (mg/dL) and expressed as PGE-MUM·Cr (µg/g creatinine). Urinary total protein·Cr (µg/g creatinine) and L-type fatty acid-binding protein·Cr (µg/g creatinine) (L-FABP·Cr) were compared with PGE-MUM·Cr. Results: The PGE-MUM·Cr level increased significantly immediately after playing soccer (regular ‘mild’ exercise) in exercise study 1 or running (repeated mild exercise) in exercise study 2, but declined the next morning. PGE-MUM (ng/mL) levels in both exercises strongly correlated (Spearman correlation coefficient, ρ = 0.728; 0.480, respectively) with urinary creatinine (mg/dL) thought to be derived from muscle exercise. Conclusion: The early increase in the PGE-MUM·Cr level just after physical exercise may reflect muscle damage and inflammation caused by the exercise.

Prognostic implications of prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite in resected non-small-cell lung cancer

Cyclooxygenase-2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is highly involved in the promotion of cancer progression. The end product of this pathway, PGE-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM), is a stable metabolite of PGE2 that can be assessed non-invasively and repeatedly in urine samples. The aim of this study was to assess the dynamic changes in perioperative PGE-MUM levels and their prognostic significance in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Between December 2012 and March 2017, 211 patients who underwent complete resection for NSCLC were analysed prospectively. PGE-MUM levels in 2 spot urine samples taken 1 or 2 days preoperatively and 3-6 weeks postoperatively were measured using a radioimmunoassay kit. Elevated preoperative PGE-MUM levels were associated with tumour size, pleural invasion and advanced stage. Multivariable analysis revealed that age, pleural invasion, lymph node metastasis and postoperative PGE-MUM levels were independent prognostic factors. In matched pre- and postoperative urine samples obtained from patients who are eligible for adjuvant chemotherapy, an increase in PGE-MUM levels following resection was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio 3.017, P = 0.005). Adjuvant chemotherapy improved survival in patients with increased PGE-MUM levels after resection (5-year overall survival, 79.0 vs 50.4%, P = 0.027), whereas survival benefit was not observed in those with decreased PGE-MUM levels (5-year overall survival, 82.1 vs 82.3%, P = 0.442). Increased preoperative PGE-MUM levels can reflect tumour progression and postoperative PGE-MUM levels are a promising biomarker for survival after complete resection in patients with NSCLC. Perioperative changes in PGE-MUM levels may aid in determining the optimal eligibility for adjuvant chemotherapy.

Predicting Ulcerative Colitis Relapse in Clinical Remission With Fecal Immunochemical Occult Blood Test or Prostaglandin E-Major Urinary Metabolite.

The fecal immunochemical occult blood test (FIT) and prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) have been reported to predict the relapse of ulcerative colitis (UC) during remission. In this study, we directly compared FIT and PGE-MUM in predicting relapse and examined the effect of disease duration on these biomarkers. Measurements of 2 biomarkers and endoscopic examination were performed in 73 patients with UC in remission. The patients were followed up for 12 months, and clinical relapse was evaluated. In addition, we divided the patients into long-term disease duration and short-term disease duration groups for analysis. Twenty-one patients (28.8%) relapsed within 12 months. FIT and PGE-MUM levels were significantly higher in the relapsed group than in the remission group. Cutoff values of FIT and PGE-MUM for predicting relapse using receiver operating characteristic analysis were 65.0 ng/mL (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.723) and 25.2 μg/g·Cr (AUC: 0.701), respectively. Patients with FIT ≥ 65.0 ng/mL and PGE-MUM ≥ 25.2 μg/g·Cr had a higher risk of clinical relapse. In the short-term disease duration group, the AUCs of FIT were larger than those of PGE-MUM using receiver operating characteristic analysis, in most instances. By contrast, the AUCs of PGE-MUM were larger than those of FIT in most cases in the long-term disease groups. FIT and PEG-MUM were highly accurate in predicting clinical relapse in UC patients with short and long disease durations in remission, respectively.

Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite diagnoses mucosal healing in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission phase.

Background and AimUlcerative colitis (UC) is usually detected by clinical symptoms, such as bleeding and diarrhea; however, it is rather difficult to assess during asymptomatic clinical remission (CR). Hence, there is a need for a biomarker that can reliably detect UC during remission. We previously reported on the utility of the prostaglandin E‐major urinary metabolite (PGE‐MUM) as a biomarker reflecting UC activity. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the PGE‐MUM in the diagnosis of endoscopic, histological, and histo‐endoscopic mucosal remission of UC, comparing with fecal tests.MethodsThis prospective study was conducted at the Jikei University Hospital between August 2017 and January 2021. Patients with UC in CR scheduled to undergo colonoscopy were included. The association between the PGE‐MUM with endoscopic remission (ER), histological remission (HR), and complete mucosal healing (CMH, defined as histo‐endoscopic remission) was analyzed. We also compared the area under the curve (AUC) for the receiver operating characteristic curves between PGE‐MUM, fecal calprotectin (FC), and fecal immunochemical test (FIT).ResultsIn total, 128 patients were analyzed. PGE‐MUM differed significantly in ER versus non‐ER (14.5 vs 16.7, P = 0.028), HR versus non‐HR (14.2 vs 17.4, P = 0.004), and CMH versus non‐CMH (14.3 vs 16.7, P = 0.021). There were no significant differences between the AUCs for PGE‐MUM, FC, and FIT for ER, HR, or CMH.ConclusionsThe PGE‐MUM can determine CMH in UC even during CR, regardless of the disease phenotype, indicating its clinical benefit for non‐invasive monitoring.

043 Role of Prostaglandin E-major Urinary Metabolite Levels in Identifying The Phenotype of Pachydermoperiostosis

Pachydermoperiostosis (PDP) is an autosomal recessive hereditary disease, hat has three diagnostic features: digital clubbing, periostosis, and pachydermia including cutis verticis gyrata (CVG). CVG is a condition in which folds of the hypertrophic scalp skin create a cerebriform appearance. The phenotypic spectrum of PDP has been categorized to the complete and incomplete form depending on presence or absence of CVG respectively. Two causative genes: HPGD and SLCO2A1 have been identified. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is metabolized to stable prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM), and finally excreted in the urine as PGE-MUM.

Comparison between Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite and C-reactive protein levels to reflect endoscopic scores in patients with ulcerative colitis

Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are useful biomarkers in patients with ulcerative colitis. However, whether changes in endoscopic scores over time are reflected in the values of these biomarkers has not been verified. This prospective observational study aimed to assess the relationship between changes in biomarker levels and endoscopic scores in patients with ulcerative colitis. A total of 100 colonoscopy intervals of patients with ulcerative colitis were enrolled. The relationship between variations in the Mayo endoscopic subscore over time and the accompanying changes in biomarker values were investigated. PGE-MUM levels showed a significant rise in the increased endoscopic score group (P = 0.007) and a decrease with reduced endoscopic score group (P = 0.023). CRP levels showed a significant decline with lower endoscopic values (P < 0.001); however, there was no corresponding increase with higher endoscopic scores (P = 0.141). Biomarker levels remained unchanged with stable endoscopic scores (P = 0.090 and P = 0.705). PGE-MUM levels varied significantly, and corresponded to the mucosal healing state (P = 0.019 and P = 0.009). The correlation between changes in PGE-MUM and the endoscopic score was stronger than that for CRP (r = 0.518, P < 0.001 vs. r = 0.444, P < 0.001, respectively). PGE-MUM reflected changes in endoscopic scores more accurately than CRP.

Role of Prostaglandin E-Major Urinary Metabolite Levels in Identifying the Phenotype of Pachydermoperiostosis

Pachydermoperiostosis (PDP) is an autosomal recessive hereditary disease that has three diagnostic features: digital clubbing, periostosis, and pachydermia, including cutis verticis gyrata (CVG) (Castori et al., 2005). CVG is a condition in which folds of the hypertrophic scalp skin create a cerebriform appearance. The phenotypic spectrum of PDP has been categorized into three distinct forms. First, the complete form involves all the three major symptoms, including CVG. Second, the incomplete form has all the three symptoms but solely lacks CVG.

Prostaglandin E-Major Urinary Metabolite Predicts Relapse in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis in Clinical Remission.

INTRODUCTION:Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) is a novel biomarker reflecting endoscopic activity in ulcerative colitis (UC). However, there are no studies investigating the efficacy of PGE-MUM as a biomarker for predicting relapse. We investigated whether PGE-MUM can predict clinical relapse of UC.METHODS:The measurement of PGE-MUM and endoscopic evaluation were performed in 70 patients with UC in clinical remission. The optimal cutoff values predicting relapse and relapse-free rate were analyzed.RESULTS:Sixteen patients (22.9%) relapsed during the 12-month follow-up. The median PGE-MUM value of relapsed patients at entry was significantly higher than that of patients in clinical remission (P = 0.008). The cutoff value of PGE-MUM predicting future relapse was 25.2 μg/g Cr by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.721 (95% confidence interval: 0.556–0.886). The relapse-free rate of patients with PGE-MUM ≥25.2 μg/g Cr was significantly lower than that in patients with PGE-MUM <25.2 μg/g Cr (log-rank test: P < 0.001). The ROC analysis of UC patients with disease duration more than 1–8 years showed that duration of more than 5 years had the largest area under the ROC curve 0.821 (95% confidence interval: 0.583–1.000) and that the optimal cutoff value was 26.3 μg/g Cr.DISCUSSION:PGE-MUM is a reliable biomarker for predicting future relapse, particularly in UC patients with long-disease duration.

Effect of ulcerative colitis duration on the usefulness of immunochemical fecal occult blood test result as a disease activity biomarker.

The effects of ulcerative colitis (UC) duration on biomarker accuracy are unknown. We investigated the effects of UC duration on the predictive accuracy of biomarkers including immunochemical fecal occult blood test (FOBT, also known as FIT), prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM), and C-reactive protein (CRP). We divided 133 samples into groups based on disease duration. Clinical and endoscopic remission was defined as Lichtiger's clinical activity index (CAI) of ≤ 4, Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) of 0, and UC endoscopic index of severity (UCEIS) of ≤ 1. FIT results were significantly correlated with all activity scores when the disease duration was < 4 years. When the disease duration was ≥ 4 years, FIT results were significantly correlated with the CAI and MES but not with UCEIS. When the disease duration was ≥ 5 years, FIT and CAI were significantly correlated, whereas FIT and MES or FIT and UCEIS did not show any correlation. When the duration was ≥ 4 years, PGE-MUM and CRP showed a significant correlation with CAI, MES, and UCEIS. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of biomarker data for predicting endoscopic remission showed that the accuracy of FIT was superior to that of PGE-MUM and CRP in the < 4-year group. FIT is an accurate biomarker reflecting the endoscopic score until 4 years in patients with UC. However, owing to the increased number of false negatives, the usefulness of FIT may decline after 4 years. Hence, evaluation of UC in combination with other biomarkers is recommended.

Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite versus fecal immunochemical occult blood test as a biomarker for patient with ulcerative colitis

BackgroundProstaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) may be a novel biomarker for evaluating disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC). We compared its usefulness to that of the fecal immunochemical occult blood test (FIT).MethodsPGE-MUM and FIT measurements were performed of 92 urinary and fecal samples obtained from 60 patients with UC. Endoscopic activity was determined by Mayo endoscopic subscore (eMayo) and Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) score.ResultsPGE-MUM levels and FIT results showed a significant correlation with respect to eMayo (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), and there was a significant difference in PGE-MUM values between the groups below eMayo1 and above eMayo2 (P = 0.012). Both biomarkers were significantly correlated with the UCEIS score (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), and the PGE-MUM values were significantly different between groups below UCEIS1 and above UCEIS2 (P = 0.012). PGE-MUM and FIT were significantly correlated with eMayo in the group with a disease duration < 5 years (P = 0.041 and P < 0.001, respectively). Although PGE-MUM and eMayo differed significantly between groups over 5 years (P = 0.012), FIT was not correlated with eMayo (P = 0.101).ConclusionsPGE-MUM is useful as a biomarker as FIT for evaluating the endoscopic activity, particularly in long-term affected patients with UC.

P278 Comparison of prostaglandin E–major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) with faecal calprotectin and faecal immunochemical tests for determining endoscopic remission in patients with ulcerative colitis

Abstract Background Faecal calprotectin (FC) and faecal immunochemical tests (FIT) have the disadvantage of requiring faecal samples. It has been reported that prostaglandin E–major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) values correlate with Mayo endoscopic scores (MESs) for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, there has been no report that PGE-MUM can determine endoscopic remission under remission phase UC, nor comparative study of PGE-MUM with FC and FIT. Thus, we aimed to examine the association between PGE-MUM values and the colonoscopy (CS) results of patients in the remission phase of UC, and to compare the accuracy of using PGE-MUM vs. that of using FC or FIT values for determining endoscopic remission. Methods Patients diagnosed with UC who were under clinical remission and had planned to undergo CS from August 2017 to March 2019 were enrolled. FC levels were measured and FITs were performed on the day of CS; PGE-MUM was measured either the day before or after CS. Three physicians independently scored the CS findings (MES, Modified Mayo Endoscopic Score [MMES], and UC endoscopic index of severity [UCEIS]) while blinded from clinical information. We analysed the differences in PGE-MUM values between two groups, which were divided between those that did achieve and those that did not achieve the following scores: (1) MES 0 point, (2) MES 1 point, (3) modified MES 0 point, (4) modified MES ≤1 point, (5) UCEIS 0 point, (6) UCEIS ≤2 points. In addition, the accuracy of PGE-MUM, FC, and FIT with respect to determining the achievement of (1) through (6) were compared by using areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves. Patients with altered UC activity between the day of PGE-MUM measurement and CS, and those who received NSAIDs on the day of PGE-MUM measurement, were excluded from the analysis. Results Of the 125 enrolled subjects, 30 patients were excluded (urine specimens not submitted, 11; poor stool specimens, 6; NSAIDs users, 10; clearly altered UC activity, 3). The remaining 95 patients (average age 48.2 years, 57 males, and 54 patients with total colitis type), were eligible for analysis. The median PGE-MUM values (in µg/g·Cr) for groups that did or did not achieve (1) through (6) were as follows: (1) 14.6/17.2, p = 0.106; (2) 14.9/20.5, p = 0.039; (3) 14.5/17.4, p = 0.059; (4) 14.1/21.8, p &amp;lt; 0.001; 5) 14.5/17.4, p = 0.059; (6) 14.7/22.2, p = 0.003. The areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves for PGE-MUM/FC/FIT used for determining the achievement of 1) through 6) were as follows: (1) 0.597/0.664/0.682, (2) 0.692/0.74/0.825, (3) 0.613/0.686/0.692, (4) 0.794/0.82/0.786, (5) 0.613/0.686/0.692 and (6) 0.778/0.824/0.825. Conclusion PGE-MUM is equally as effective as FC and FIT for determining the achievement of endoscopic remission.

Prostaglandin E-Major Urinary Metabolite (PGE-MUM) as a Tumor Marker for Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is metabolized to prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM). Enhanced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression demonstrated in lung adenocarcinoma indicates increased PGE-MUM levels in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Objectives: We aimed to elucidate the clinical usefulness of measuring PGE-MUM as an indicator of tumor burden in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: PGE-MUM was measured by a radioimmunoassay in control healthy volunteers (n = 124) and patients with lung adenocarcinoma (n = 54). Associations between PGE-MUM levels and clinical characteristics of the patients (including lung cancer stage and TNM factors (T: Tumor, N: Node, M: Metastasis) were examined. Results: PGE-MUM levels were significantly elevated in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. A PGE-MUM level of 14.9 μg/g∙Cr showed 70.4% sensitivity and 67.7% specificity for the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma. PGE-MUM levels tended to be positively correlated with cancer progression as determined by the TNM staging system. Advanced stage (stage III, stage IV, and recurrence) was significantly associated with high PGE-MUM levels by logistic regression analysis. No apparent correlation was demonstrated between PGE-MUM and carcinoma embryonic antigen (CEA) levels. Conclusions: PGE-MUM can be a promising biomarker reflecting the systemic tumor burden of lung adenocarcinoma.

Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite as a noninvasive surrogate marker for infantile necrotizing enterocolitis

BackgroundEarly definitive diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) based on Bell's staging criteria is difficult because there are few observable changes on abdominal imaging and blood chemistry tests at the onset of the disease. PurposeTo investigate whether prostaglandin E-2 major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) can be a useful surrogate marker reflecting the disease state and severity of NEC in infants. MethodsInfants were enrolled in this study between January 2014 and December 2016. NEC diagnosis was based on Bell's staging criteria > Stage II or necrotic bowel observed at surgery. After diagnosis, PGE-MUM level was measured and compared with that of the other disease and healthy infant groups. ResultsMedian PGE-MUM value was highest in the NEC group (576 [65–3672] μg/g•Cre/BSA × 1000), followed by the other disease group (94 [57–296] μg/g•Cre/BSA × 1000) and the healthy infant group (19 [10–44] μg/g•Cre/BSA × 1000) (sensitivity: 92.3%, specificity: 81.5%, accuracy: 85.0%; p < 0.01). PGE-MUM level correlated with improved status of NEC, length of necrotic intestine, and Bell's staging criteria. ConclusionsPGE-MUM level may be a useful surrogate biomarker reflecting the disease state of NEC. The method of urine sample collection is also advantageous, being noninvasive for infants. This is the first study reporting PGE-MUM level in NEC. Type of studyStudy of diagnostic test. Level of evidenceLEVEL II.

Prostaglandin E‐major Urinary Metabolite as a Biomarker for Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity

Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) is a useful biomarker for adult ulcerative colitis (UC) activity. In the present study, we evaluated whether PGE-MUM can also be a biomarker of pediatric UC activity and compared its efficacy in predicting UC activity with that of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Twenty-nine pediatric patients with UC (8-18 years) and 29 healthy age- and sex-matched subjects were enrolled. UC activity was evaluated using the Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index, highest Mayo endoscopic scoring (Mayo), and Matts grading (Matts) for histologic scoring, and the sum of Mayo (total of 6 segments) and Matts in all patients with UC. PGE-MUM levels were measured using a radioimmunoassay. PGE-MUM levels were elevated in endoscopically and histologically active UC patients, but not in patients with endoscopic and histologic remission or controls. PGE-MUM levels positively and significantly correlated with UC activity. PGE-MUM levels were positively correlated with Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (r = 0.594), highest Mayo (r = 0.462), the sum of Mayo (r = 0.694), and the sum of Matts (r = 0.613), but not with highest Matt (r = 0.352). The sum of Mayo and the sum of Matts, which reflect total colon inflammation, showed highest correlation with PGE-MUM. C-reactive protein levels did not correlate with any UC activity scores. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate exhibited correlation (r = 0.490) with the sum of Mayo only. PGE-MUM is a reliable biomarker that reflects both the endoscopic and histologic activity of the entire colon in pediatric UC.

Increased levels of prostaglandin E−major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) in chronic fibrosing interstitial pneumonia

BackgroundDysregulation of the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling pathway has been implicated in interstitial pneumonia (IP) pathogenesis. Due to the unstable nature of PGE2, available detection methods may not precisely reflect PGE2 levels. We explored the clinical usefulness of measuring stable prostaglandin E−major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) with respect to pathogenesis and extent of chronic fibrosing IP (CFIP), including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), as PGE-MUM is reflective of systemic PGE2 production. MethodsPGE-MUM was measured by radioimmunoassay in controls (n = 124) and patients with lung diseases (bronchial asthma (BA): n = 78, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): n = 33, CFIP: n = 44). Extent of lung fibrosis was assessed by fibrosing score (FS) of computed tomography (CT) (FS1-4). Immunohistochemical evaluation of COX-2 was performed to find PGE2 producing cells in IPF. Human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) and lung fibroblasts (LFB) were used in in vitro experiments. ResultsCompared to control, PGE-MUM levels were significantly elevated in CFIP. PGE-MUM levels were positively correlated with FS, and inversely correlated with %DLCO in IP (FS 1–3). COX-2 was highly expressed in metaplastic epithelial cells in IPF, but lower expression of EP2 receptor was demonstrated in LFB derived from IPF. TGF-β induced COX-2 expression in HBEC. ConclusionsPGE-MUM, elevated in CFIP, is a promising biomarker reflecting disease activity. Metaplastic epithelial cells can be a source of elevated PGE-MUM in IPF.

Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite as a reliable surrogate marker for mucosal inflammation in ulcerative colitis.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is used as a biomarker of ulcerative colitis (UC) activity, but CRP levels are sometimes insufficient to reflect UC activity. Therefore, a simple noninvasive biomarker assay with sufficient sensitivity and specificity to accurately reflect UC activity is desired. Since prostaglandin E2 production and colonic inflammation are associated, we evaluated whether prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) can be used as such a biomarker. Patients with UC (n = 99) were enrolled from March 2011 to February 2012. UC activity was evaluated using the simple clinical colitis activity index in 99 patients, Mayo endoscopic scoring (Mayo) in 79 patients, and Matts' grading (Matts) in 64 patients. PGE-MUM levels were measured by radioimmunoassay kit and compared against CRP levels as a control. Both PGE-MUM and CRP levels correlated with UC activity (P < 0.01). Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of simple clinical colitis activity index, Mayo, and Matts for PEG-MUM were each higher than for CRP (0.93 > 0.73, 0.90 > 0.77, and 0.89 > 0.75, respectively). In multivariate logistic regression models, PGE-MUM was a significant independent predictor of histologic remission (sensitivity/specificity, 0.82/0.82) when the cutoff value was set to 17.0 μg/g creatinine, but CRP was not (0.69/0.69) (P < 0.01). Compared with CRP level, PGE-MUM level demonstrated better sensitivity for reflecting UC activity, especially in cases of histologic inflammation, and thus seems to be a better evaluator of mucosal healing. Because this method is simple, quick, and noninvasive, PGE-MUM seems to be a useful biomarker of UC.

Significant Increase of Prostaglandin E‐Major Urinary Metabolite in Male Smokers: A Screening Study of Age and Gender Differences Using a Simple Radioimmunoassay

For the assessment of inflammatory status, we have developed a simple, reliable radioimmunoassay (RIA) of prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM), which remains stable in urine after it is metabolized. Using this method, we conducted a screening study to compare standard values of PGE-MUM to serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in health check volunteers. PGE-MUM (micrograms per gram creatinine) was measured in normal urine samples obtained from 797 samples in volunteers for health check, using a newly developed RIA, and analyzed in relation to age, gender, smoking, and drinking habits. Results were compared to serum CRP. PGE-MUM was significantly higher in males than in females. It was significantly higher in smoking males, compared to males who had never smoked (nonsmokers), particularly in those above 40 years of age. In nonsmokers, PGE-MUM declined in males with advancing age, while it rose in females. Although PGE-MUM reflected current smoking status, independent of smoking index (SI), serum CRP indicated both current and former smoking condition, rather dependent upon SI. PGE-MUM increases in smokers, as suggested by possible inflammatory injury of pulmonary tissue. This RIA method for PGE-MUM may be thus a sensitive and reliable biomarker for current inflammation, different from serum CRP.