NORMETANEPHRINE URINE ELISA KIT

Normetanephrine ELISA kit is intended for analysing in vitro quantitative levels of normetanephrine (NM) in human urine samples. This assay has a minimum detection limit of 23 ng/ml.

The minimum sensitivity level of normetanephrine (NM) in urine using this human normetanephrine ELISA kit was approximately 23 ng/ml. The dynamic assay range for this kit is 30 – 3,000 ng/ml.

Normetanephrine is a catecholamine metabolite of norepinephrine and it is formed through the action of catechol-O-methyl transferase on norepinephrine. Cells that are found to be derived from neuroendocrine tumors (for example pheochromcytoma) can produce catecholamines that are secreted episodically using vesicles into the blood stream. However, there are a small portion of the catecholamines which can be metabolised inside the cells into their corresponding catecholamines metabolites and these are namely metanephrine, normetanephrine and 3-methoxytyramine. These catecholamines can be continuously secreted at low levels into the blood stream.

In clinical medicine, these catecholamines have been useful in providing diagnostic tools for identifying patients that are suspected of having a tumor of chromaffin cells such as pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma. These metabolites (normetanephrine and metanephrine) can be measured in plasma or urine samples. The determination of conjugated normetanephrine in urine is a well-established and long-standing technique. Current literature is indicating that the analysis of urine normetanephrine is an accurate biochemical marker for identifying patients suspected of pheochromocytoma. The current guidelines recommend the use of either plasma free normetanephrines or urinary fractionated normetanephrines for the initial biochemical phase.