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Biomarkers of Toxic Effects
Metametrix introduces the Toxic Effects Porphyrins Profile!* Porphyrins measured in urine serve as biomarkers of toxic effects on the heme biosynthetic pathway. Heme is an essential for the proper function of many proteins for oxygen transport, energy production, and detoxification. Patterns of specific porphyrin elevations in urine may serve as functional markers to specific toxins, including toxic metals, such as mercury. The Toxic Effects Porphyrins Profile* measures seven porphyrins, total porphyrins, and two ratios to help you differentiate heavy metal toxicity in your patient!
Elevations of the individual porphyrin species can have a number of causes, including heredity and environmental contact. Chronic exposure to toxic metals, including lead, mercury, arsenic, aluminum, and cadmium often results in organ-specific accumulation that compromises target organ physiological function. Heavy metals impair many aspects of metabolism, while chronic exposure to organic chemicals, such as pesticides, can have deleterious effects on the body’s biochemistry and adversely affect cellular function.
Why Evaluate Porphyrins?
Porphyrins are particularly well suited as biomarkers for two reasons. First, the pathway is highly active, so any disturbance tends to cause rapid and relatively large accumulations of intermediates. Second, the enzymes of the porphyrin-producing pathway are widely distributed in human tissues and some of them are highly sensitive to the presence of various toxins.
Identify...
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Differentiation of heavy metal toxicity
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Biochemical damage caused by toxicant exposure
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Mercury’s effect in dental patients with amalgams
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Patients before and during chelation therapy
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The toxicity of therapeutic drugs
Toxicity can be a component of...
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Multiple chemical sensitivity
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Behavioral and learning disorders
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Immune Dysfunctions
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Chronic fatigue
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Neurological and mental/emotional disorders
Learn more about porphyrins in "Urinary Porphyrin Profiling", an excerpt from Laboratory Evaluations in Functional and Integrative Medicine, by RS Lord and JA Bralley.
*Profile not available in New York
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Other causes and conditions related to porphyria include:
Genetic Disorders
- Heredity hyperbilirubinemias
- Heredity tyrosinemia
- Bronze baby syndrome
- Erythrohepatic protoporphyria
Metabolic Disturbances
- Diabetes mellitus
- Myocardial infarction
- Hematologic diseases
- Disturbance of iron metabolism
Diseases
- Infectious diseases
- Liver disease
- Malignancies
Other Conditions
- Pregnancy
- Carbohydrate fasting
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Clinician Info
| Test name: |
0060 - Porphyrins Profile*
0088 - Neopterin/Biopterin Profile*
*Not available in New York
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| Description: |
The Porphyrins Profile evaluates the biomarkers of toxicity. Patterns of specific porphyrin elevations in urine may serve as functional markers of toxicity from toxic metals, such as mercury, lead, or arsenic, or other organic chemicals. The Porphyrins Profile measures seven porphyrins, total porphyrins, and two ratios to help you differentiate heavy metal toxicity, as well as monitor therapy in your patient.
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| Method: |
LC/MS-MS |
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| Turnaround time: |
10 - 14 days, 10 days average |
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Analytes:
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Uroporphyrin I and III
Heptacarboxyporphyrinogen
Hexacarboxyporphyrinogen
Pentacarboxyporphyrinogen
Precoproporphyrin*
Coproporphyrinogen I
Coproporphyrinogen III
Total porphyrins
Pre/Uro I & III Ratio
Copro I/Copro III Ratio
*Atypical porphyrin consistent with precoprophyryrin reported in the literature.1,2 Precoproprophyrin is reported as a ratio of peak area to internal standard peak area i units of response/g creatinine
1. J.S. Woods, M.A. Bowers, H.A. Davis, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 110, 464-476 (1991).
2. D. Echeverilia et. al., Neurotoxicology and Teratology 28 (2006) 39-48.
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CPT codes:
| 84120 x7 |
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Porphyrin, qualitative |
| 82570 |
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Creatinine |
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Porphyrin metabolism as indicator of metal exposure and toxicity.
Woods JS. In: Goyer RA, Cherian MG, eds. Handbook of experimental pharmacology. Berlin: Springer-Verlag; 1995:19-52.
Porphyrinurias induced by mercury and other metals.
Fowler BA. Toxicol Sci. Jun 2001;61(2):197-198.
Urinary porphyrin profiles as biomarkers of trace metal exposure and toxicity: studies
on urinary porphyrin excretion patterns in rats during prolonged exposure to methyl mercury.
Woods JS, Bowers MA, Davis HA. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. Sep 15 1991;110(3):464-476.
Urinary porphyrin profiles as a biomarker of mercury exposure: studies on dentists with occupational exposure to mercury vapor.
Woods JS, Martin MD, Naleway CA, Echeverria D. J Toxicol Environ Health. Oct-Nov 1993;40(2-3):235-246.
Behavioral effects of low-level exposure to elemental Hg among dentists.
Echeverria D, Heyer NJ, Martin MD, Naleway CA, Woods JS, Bittner AC, Jr. Neurotoxicol Teratol. Mar-Apr 1995;17(2):161-168.
Lead-induced abnormalities of porphyrin metabolism. The relationship with iron deficiency.
Piomelli S, Seaman C, Kapoor S. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1987;514:278-288.
Altered porphyrin metabolism as a biomarker of mercury exposure and toxicity.
Woods JS. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. Feb 1996;74(2):210-215.
Porphyrinuria in childhood autistic disorder: implications for environmental toxicity.
Nataf R, Skorupka C, Amet L, Lam A, Springbett A, Lathe R. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. Jul 15 2006;214(2):99-108.
A prospective assessment of porphyrins in autistic disorders: a potential marker for heavy metal exposure.
Geier D, Geier M. Neurotoxicity Research. 2006;10(1):6.
Biomarkers of exposure and effect as indicators of the interference of selenomethionine on methylmercury toxicity.
Dos Santos AP, Mateus ML, Carvalho CM, Batoreu MC. Toxicol Lett. Mar 8 2007;169(2):121-128.
Porphyrins, porphyrin metabolism and porphyrias.
Thunell S. I. Update. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. Nov 2000;60(7):509-540.
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