ADMA Analysis - Creative Biolabs

The usage of biomarkers in research or in pre-clinical routine practice as diagnostic tools has become commonplace. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is a good candidate to be accepted as a novel biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis in some diseases. Creative Biolabs provides customized ADMA analysis and quantification services for global clients.

Introduction

ADMA is an amino acid that can inhibit the production of nitric oxide (NO) by blocking the activity of nitric oxide synthetase (NOS). It is regarded as a biomarker of endothelial dysfunction and involved in the pathogenesis of a wide spectrum of human diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), cardiovascular disease (CVD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and end-stage kidney disease (ESRD). ADMA is eliminated from the body either by renal excretion or by degradation to dimethylamine and citrulline by the enzyme dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH).

Fig.1 Simplified schema of synthesis, transport, and elimination of ADMA in the kidney.¹

Diagnostic Power

In experimental studies, HPLC-based methods are the most used techniques for determining ADMA concentrations in the urine, plasma, and tissue homogenate. Since ADMA and its structural isomer SDMA have identical molecular weights, chromatographic separation using HPLC with radioimmunoassay, fluorescence, or ultraviolet detection is necessary.

Currently, at least three possibilities exist for an elevation of plasma ADMA: a decrease in renal excretion, a decreased enzymatic metabolism, and an increased synthesis of ADMA. The first two mechanisms have been shown to contribute to elevations of ADMA in kidney disease, whereas the impact of protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMT)-mediated increased synthesis remains unknown. Although ADMA is excreted by the kidneys to some extent, decreased ADMA metabolism is the major reason for its elevation in kidney disease.

We Have Your Biomarker Assay Needs Covered

At Creative Biolabs, currently available methods for ADMA determination include

Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
HPLC with fluorescence detection
HPLC with LC-MS
Capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with ultraviolet
CE coupled with mass-spectrometric detection
Customized ELISA

As ADMA has a narrow range of normal concentrations, a high-precision analytical method is required to distinguish between normal and slightly high levels. Creative Biolabs has developed an innovative competitive assay with high sensitivity and excellent specificity for detection of ADMA. No significant cross-reactivity or interference between ADMA and analogues was observed.