NORMETANEPHRINE PLASMA ELISA KIT

Normetanephrine ELISA kit is a method for measuring in vitro quantitative levels of free normetanephrine (NM) in human plasma (EDTA, citrate) samples. This assay has a minimum detection limit of 23 pg/ml.

The minimum sensitivity level of free normetanephrine (NM) in plasma using this human normetanephrine ELISA kit was approximately 23 pg/ml. The dynamic assay range for this kit is 48 – 4,800 pg/ml.

Normetanephrine are produced as a metabolite of the catecholamine norepinephrine via the action of catechol-O-methyl transferase on norepinephrine. There is a small portion of these catecholamines that can be metabolised inside cells into the corresponding catecholamines metabolites (namely normetanephrine, metanephrine and 3-methoxytyramine), all of these are then secreted at low levels continuously into the blood stream. Also, cells that have been derived from neuroendocrine tumors (such as pheochromcytoma or paragangliomas) have been found to produce catecholamines in excess that can then be secreted episodically through vesicles into the blood stream.

The current publications and studies have demonstrated that analysing the plasma free normetanephrine and plasma free metanephrine is one of the most accurate biochemical marker that has been used to identify pheochromocytoma and in the subsequent follow-up of pheochromocytoma patients. The current guidelines are highly recommending the use of either plasma free metanephrines or urinary fractionated metanephrines for the initial biochemical phase.