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Flores L, Hargrave S, Clifford A, Alarcio G, Moeller BC. Detection of doping peptides and basic drugs in equine urine using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Drug Test Anal 2024; 16:406-419. [PMID: 37548131 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The abuse of prohibited agents including peptides and basic small-molecule drugs is an area of great concern in horseracing due to their high potential to act as doping agents. These compound classes include agents such as growth hormone-releasing peptides, peptide analgesics, beta-2-adrenergic receptor agonists, and quaternary ammonium drugs that can be challenging to detect and regulate because of their chemical properties and potential rapid elimination following administration. The use of highly sensitive and selective analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is necessary to provide coverage of these substances and their potential metabolites. This study describes the development and validation of methodology capable of the detection of over 50 different peptide-based doping agents, related secretagogues, quaternary ammonium drugs, and other challenging small molecules in equine urine following solid-phase extraction using a mixed mode weak cation exchange sorbent. Following sample extraction, the compounds were analyzed using LC-MS with chromatographic separation via a reverse phase gradient and detection via selective reaction monitoring following introduction to a triple-stage quadrupole mass spectrometer using positive mode electrospray ionization. Validation parameters including limits of detection and quantitation, accuracy, precision, linear range, recovery, stability, and matrix effects were determined. Briefly, the limits of detection for most compounds were in the sub-ng/mL ranges with adequate precision and accuracy sufficient for an initial testing procedure. Stability studies indicated that most compounds were sufficiently stable to allow for effective screening using conditions commonly utilized in drug testing laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Flores
- KL Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Sabine Hargrave
- KL Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Amel Clifford
- KL Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Gwendolyne Alarcio
- KL Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Benjamin C Moeller
- KL Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Moreira F, Carmo H, Guedes de Pinho P, Bastos MDL. Doping detection in animals: A review of analytical methodologies published from 1990 to 2019. Drug Test Anal 2021; 13:474-504. [PMID: 33440053 DOI: 10.1002/dta.2999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Despite the impressive innate physical abilities of horses, camels, greyhounds, or pigeons, doping agents might be administered to these animals to improve their performance. To control these illegal practices, anti-doping analytical methodologies have been developed. This review compiles the analytical methods that have been published for the detection of prohibited substances administered to animals involved in sports over 30 years. Relevant papers meeting the search criteria that discussed analytical methods aiming to detect and/or quantify doping substances in animal biological matrices published from 1990 to 2019 were considered. A total of 317 studies were included, of which 298 were related to horses, demonstrating significant advances toward the development of doping detection methods for equine sports. However, analytical methods for the detection of doping agents in sports involving other species are lacking. Due to enhanced accuracy and specificity, chromatographic analysis coupled to mass spectrometry detection is preferred over immunoassays. Regarding biological matrices, blood and urine remain the first choice, although alternative biological matrices, such as hair and feces, have been considered. With the increasing number and type of drugs used as doping agents, the analytes addressed in the published papers are diverse. It is very important to continue to detect and quantify these drugs, recognizing those that are most frequently used, in order to punish the abusers, protect animals' health, and ensure a healthier and genuine competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Moreira
- UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Área Técnico-Científica de Farmácia, Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Helena Carmo
- UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Guedes de Pinho
- UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria de Lourdes Bastos
- UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Using Aptamers as a Novel Method for Determining GnRH/LH Pulsatility. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21197394. [PMID: 33036411 PMCID: PMC7582658 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are a novel technology enabling the continuous measurement of analytes in blood and other body compartments, without the need for repeated sampling and the associated reagent costs of traditional antibody-based methodologies. Aptamers are short single-stranded synthetic RNA or DNA that recognise and bind to specific targets. The conformational changes that can occur upon aptamer–ligand binding are transformed into chemical, fluorescent, colour changes and other readouts. Aptamers have been developed to detect and measure a variety of targets in vitro and in vivo. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a pulsatile hypothalamic hormone that is essential for normal fertility but difficult to measure in the peripheral circulation. However, pulsatile GnRH release results in pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) release from the pituitary gland. As such, LH pulsatility is the clinical gold standard method to determine GnRH pulsatility in humans. Aptamers have recently been shown to successfully bind to and measure GnRH and LH, and this review will focus on this specific area. However, due to the adaptability of aptamers, and their suitability for incorporation into portable devices, aptamer-based technology is likely to be used more widely in the future.
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Kwok KY, Choi TLS, Kwok WH, Lau MY, Leung EMK, Leung GNW, Wong JKY, Wan TSM, Adrian FF, Prabhu A, Ho ENM. Detection of bioactive peptides including gonadotrophin-releasing factors (GnRHs) in horse urine using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC/HRMS). Drug Test Anal 2020; 12:1274-1286. [PMID: 32558326 DOI: 10.1002/dta.2880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The use of bioactive peptides as a doping agent in both human and animal sports has become increasingly popular in recent years. As such, methods to control the misuse of bioactive peptides in equine sports have received attention. This paper describes a sensitive accurate mass method for the detection of 40 bioactive peptides and two non-peptide growth hormone secretagogues (< 2 kDa) at low pg/mL levels in horse urine using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC/HRMS). A simple mixed-mode cation exchange solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge was employed for the extraction of 42 targets and/or their in vitro metabolites from horse urine. The final extract was analyzed using UHPLC/HRMS in positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode under both full scan and data independent acquisition (DIA, for MS2 ). The estimated limits of detection (LoD) for most of the targets could reach down to 10 pg/mL in horse urine. This method was validated for qualitative detection purposes. The validation data, including method specificity, method sensitivity, extraction recovery, method precision, and matrix effect were reported. A thorough in vitro study was also performed on four gonadotrophin-releasing factors (GnRHs), namely leuprorelin, buserelin, goserelin, and nafarelin, using the S9 fraction isolated from horse liver. The identified in vitro metabolites have been incorporated into the method for controlling the misuse of GnRHs. The applicability of this method was demonstrated by the identification of leuprorelin and one of its metabolites, Leu M4, in urine obtained after intramuscular administration of leuprorelin to a thoroughbred gelding (castrated horse).
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Y Kwok
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Timmy L S Choi
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai Him Kwok
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ming Yip Lau
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Elvis M K Leung
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gary N W Leung
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jenny K Y Wong
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Terence S M Wan
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Farrington F Adrian
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Services, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Anil Prabhu
- Department of Veterinary Regulation, Welfare and Biosecurity Policy, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
| | - Emmie N M Ho
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T, Hong Kong, China
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