The biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney disease

Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are metabolic byproducts reflecting pathophysiologic processes and have been widely utilized as non-invasive biomarkers for disease differentiation. While VOCs have been extensively studied in oncology, their potential for diagnosing other prevalent public...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chatchai Kreepala, Vichayut Suthat Na Ayutaya, Rungrueang Phatthanakun, Kittipong Thabsuwan, Jirayupa Paewponsong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00013-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850042580251705344
author Chatchai Kreepala
Vichayut Suthat Na Ayutaya
Rungrueang Phatthanakun
Kittipong Thabsuwan
Jirayupa Paewponsong
author_facet Chatchai Kreepala
Vichayut Suthat Na Ayutaya
Rungrueang Phatthanakun
Kittipong Thabsuwan
Jirayupa Paewponsong
author_sort Chatchai Kreepala
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are metabolic byproducts reflecting pathophysiologic processes and have been widely utilized as non-invasive biomarkers for disease differentiation. While VOCs have been extensively studied in oncology, their potential for diagnosing other prevalent public health conditions remains underexplored. This study serves as a proof-of-concept investigation, applying VOC-based detection to diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a leading cause of chronic kidney disease, to distinguish it from other nephrotic syndromes (NS). Utilizing metal oxide semiconductors, we analyzed urinary VOC profiles in 135 participants with biopsy-confirmed diagnoses. All gas sensors in the sensor chamber were of the n-type. Our results demonstrated that hydrogen and ethanol VOCs, measured at a minimum electrical resistance threshold of 4500 mV, effectively distinguished DKD from NS and other control groups. The mean differences in electrical resistance among DKD versus normal, DM without DKD, and NS were 868.3, 145.5, and 881.2 ohms, respectively (p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis yielded AUC values of 1.0, 0.64, and 0.99, respectively (p < 0.05), underscoring the method’s diagnostic potential. VOCs primarily composed of hydrogen and ethanol in DKD patients exhibited distinct electron-release properties when interacting with metal oxide semiconductors compared to healthy individuals and NS patients. These findings suggest that urine-based VOC analysis has potential as a non-invasive alternative for distinguishing DKD from other glomerular diseases. This study highlights the feasibility of extending VOC-based biosensor technology beyond oncology, offering a novel diagnostic framework for broader clinical applications in public health and metabolic disease monitoring.
format Article
id doaj-art-8f69e8b7f3e94fe5b8be5e81790aba48
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-8f69e8b7f3e94fe5b8be5e81790aba482025-08-20T02:55:31ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-00013-6The biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney diseaseChatchai Kreepala0Vichayut Suthat Na Ayutaya1Rungrueang Phatthanakun2Kittipong Thabsuwan3Jirayupa Paewponsong4School of Internal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Suranaree University of TechnologySchool of Internal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Suranaree University of TechnologySynchrotron Light Research InstituteSchool of Ophthalmology, Institute of Medicine, Suranaree University of TechnologySchool of Internal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Suranaree University of TechnologyAbstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are metabolic byproducts reflecting pathophysiologic processes and have been widely utilized as non-invasive biomarkers for disease differentiation. While VOCs have been extensively studied in oncology, their potential for diagnosing other prevalent public health conditions remains underexplored. This study serves as a proof-of-concept investigation, applying VOC-based detection to diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a leading cause of chronic kidney disease, to distinguish it from other nephrotic syndromes (NS). Utilizing metal oxide semiconductors, we analyzed urinary VOC profiles in 135 participants with biopsy-confirmed diagnoses. All gas sensors in the sensor chamber were of the n-type. Our results demonstrated that hydrogen and ethanol VOCs, measured at a minimum electrical resistance threshold of 4500 mV, effectively distinguished DKD from NS and other control groups. The mean differences in electrical resistance among DKD versus normal, DM without DKD, and NS were 868.3, 145.5, and 881.2 ohms, respectively (p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis yielded AUC values of 1.0, 0.64, and 0.99, respectively (p < 0.05), underscoring the method’s diagnostic potential. VOCs primarily composed of hydrogen and ethanol in DKD patients exhibited distinct electron-release properties when interacting with metal oxide semiconductors compared to healthy individuals and NS patients. These findings suggest that urine-based VOC analysis has potential as a non-invasive alternative for distinguishing DKD from other glomerular diseases. This study highlights the feasibility of extending VOC-based biosensor technology beyond oncology, offering a novel diagnostic framework for broader clinical applications in public health and metabolic disease monitoring.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00013-6Diabetic kidney disease (DKD)Diabetic nephropathy (DN)Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)Biosensor
spellingShingle Chatchai Kreepala
Vichayut Suthat Na Ayutaya
Rungrueang Phatthanakun
Kittipong Thabsuwan
Jirayupa Paewponsong
The biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney disease
Scientific Reports
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD)
Diabetic nephropathy (DN)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Biosensor
title The biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney disease
title_full The biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney disease
title_fullStr The biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney disease
title_full_unstemmed The biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney disease
title_short The biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney disease
title_sort biosensor using the target urine volatile organic compounds for detecting diabetic kidney disease
topic Diabetic kidney disease (DKD)
Diabetic nephropathy (DN)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Biosensor
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00013-6
work_keys_str_mv AT chatchaikreepala thebiosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT vichayutsuthatnaayutaya thebiosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT rungrueangphatthanakun thebiosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT kittipongthabsuwan thebiosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT jirayupapaewponsong thebiosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT chatchaikreepala biosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT vichayutsuthatnaayutaya biosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT rungrueangphatthanakun biosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT kittipongthabsuwan biosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease
AT jirayupapaewponsong biosensorusingthetargeturinevolatileorganiccompoundsfordetectingdiabetickidneydisease