A total of 75 patients with benign kidney disease were prospectively included in the study. Mesothelin levels were measured in the serum and in the urine of all the participants by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Urinary albumin and alpha 1-microglobulin (A1M) levels, which are markers of glomerular leakage and of decreased tubular reabsorption, respectively, and the estimated GFR (eGFR) of each participant were obtained. All urine analyte levels were standardized (std) against urinary creatinine levels.
Absolute mesothelin levels in urine (median, 0.58 nmol/L; interquartile range [IQR], 0.25-1.03 nmol/L) were significantly lower than those in serum (median, 1.74 nmol/L; IQR, 1.35-2.43 nmol/L; P < .001). Urinary mesothelinstd levels positively correlated with serum mesothelin (r = 0.35, P < .01), albuminstd (r = 0.51, P < .001), and A1Mstd levels (r = 0.71, P < .001). Neither age nor eGFR were associated with urinary mesothelinstd levels. Similarly, multiple linear regression analysis indicated that only albuminstd and A1Mstd levels were significantly positively associated with the urinary mesothelinstd levels (adjusted R2 = 0.49).
Mesothelin levels in urine are affected by impaired glomerular and tubular function, which can influence the interpretation of mesothelin measurements and might cause false-positive results. These effects need to be accounted for to improve the further validation and possible clinical use of urinary mesothelin.