Technology | Introduction

WELCOME TO Trovagene

We are a molecular diagnostics company with unique intellectual property around the remarkable discovery that DNA & RNA, present in urine could be diagnostic of diseases such as cancer and infection. Trovagene’s revolutionary molecular diagnostic technology is setting out to change the way medicine is practiced, through simple, non-invasive diagnostic sampling of these nucleic acids leading to earlier detection of serious illness.

How transrenal DNA is different

Urine DNA tests have existed in the past, but what is the difference between transrenal DNA and the urine DNA that has been mentioned by others?

Urine is composed of two parts: first, a water solution containing salts and other soluble molecules including transrenal DNA; second, sediment that is not in solution and includes cells that have been shed from the linings of the kidneys, bladder and urethra.

When others refer to “urine DNA” tests, they are referring to DNA tests performed on the cells washed from the lining of the urinary tract into the urine. In addition, if the individual has a bacterial or viral infection in the urinary tract, DNA from these organisms has been commonly isolated from urine.

It is now established that urine contains genetic DNA markers representing cells, tissues, and organs from throughout the entire body.

Trovagene, INC. | TROV.PK

Introduction to transrenal nucleic acid technology

Our scientists were the first to discover that a portion of circulating DNA crosses the kidney barrier and accumulates in the urine. This is transrenal DNA which, like circulating DNA, contains genetic information from all cell types of the body.

What are Transrenal Nucleic Acids (Tr-NAs)?

In the human body about 1011 - 1012 cells die each day primarily as a consequence of physiological programs for tissue and organ maintenance, but also as a result of disease processes. Together, these dying and dead cells contain more than 1 gram of DNA, which is mostly degraded into short fragments by specific enzymes.

Introduction to transrenal nucleic acid technology :: Our scientists were the first to discover that a portion of circulating DNA crosses the kidney barrier and accumulates in the urine. This is transrenal DNA which, like circulating DNA, contains genetic information from all cell types of the body.

However, a small proportion of this DNA escapes complete degradation and appears in the bloodstream. Scientists at Trovagene were the first to discover that a portion of this circulating DNA crosses the kidney barrier and can be found in the urine, “Transrenal” or TR-DNA in a form of 150-200 bp fragments. This simple yet remarkable discovery that genetic information from various cells throughout the body is present in urine opens the possibility for the development of new, noninvasive techniques for molecular diagnostics and genetic testing.

Discovery of TR-DNA creates the basis for development of new tests in the areas of prenatal genetic testing, oncology, infectious diseases, organ transplantation, and others. Quantitative measurement of specific marker concentrations can be used for disease monitoring.

ISOLATION OF NUCLEIC ACIDS FROM URINE

Urine is a relatively simple aqueous solution and, unlike plasma, contains few components that can attack and break down these DNA fragments. Since urine does not contain many cells, proteins and other contaminants, isolation of transrenal DNA is a simple procedure which can be easily automated for high throughput screening applications.

From there, the fragments can easily be isolated and analyzed using conventional methods in use or in development in many molecular genomics laboratories.

Find out more »

Science Backgrounder

We have compiled a literature review to summarize the state of science in the field of circulating nucleic acid detection and the promise their detection holds, particularly in the management of cancer patients.

» download The Detection of Transrenal Nucleic Acids for Patient Management PDF