Steroidomic Footprinting Based on Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Qualitative and Quantitative High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Evaluation of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in H295R Cells

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolite library for metabolomics: Evaluating column suitability using a scoring approach

Untargeted metabolomic studies require an extensive set of analyte (metabolic) information to be obtained from each analyzed sample. Thus, highly selective, and efficient analytical methodologies together with reversed-phase (RP) or hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) are usually applied in these approaches. Here, we present a performance comparison of five different chromatographic columns (C18, C8, RP Amide, zicHILIC, OH5 HILIC phases) to evaluate their sufficiency of analysis for a large analyte library, consisting of 817 authentic standards. By taking into account experimental chromatographic parameters (i.e. retention time, peak tailing and asymmetry, FWHM, signal-to-noise ratio and peak area and intensity), the proposed column scoring approach provides a simple criterion that may assist analysis in the select of a stationary phase for those metabolites of interest. RPLC methods offered better results regarding metabolic library coverage, while the zicHILIC stationary phase delivered a bigger number of properly eluted compounds. This study demonstrates the importance of choosing the most suitable configuration for the analysis of different metabolic classes.

Potential long-term developmental toxicity of in utero and lactational exposure to Triclocarban (TCC) in hampering ovarian folliculogenesis in rat offspring

Triclocarban (TCC), an antimicrobial compound commonly added to a wide range of household and personal hygiene care products, is one of the most prevalent endocrine-disrupting substances (EDS). This study was conducted to elucidate whether in utero and lactational exposure to TCC could adversely affect folliculogenesis and the onset of puberty in female rat offspring. Twenty pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were equally divided into Control and TCC dam groups (supplemented daily with drinking water enriched with 0.5 mg/L of TCC) from gestational day5 to postnatal day21 (PND21). Female offspring, 20 from control and 20 from TCC dams, were subdivided into 4 subgroups (PND21, PND28, PND35 & PND42). The day of vaginal opening and first estrous cycle were determined. Ovarian sections of the offspring were processed for H&E staining and for immunohistochemical expression of Ki67, Caspase-3 and androgen receptors (AR) on the granulosa cells of ovarian follicles. Follicular count and atretic index were assessed besides, serum estradiol, progesterone, FSH and LH, C-reactive protein (CRP), malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured. TCC offspring exhibited a significant delay in the onset of puberty and impedance of normal transition of the primordial follicles to more developed ones with altered cyctoarchitecture. Also, TCC decreased follicular count, proliferation and gonado-somatic index while it increased atretic index, apoptosis and AR of the granulosa cells along with disturbance of the feminine hormonal profile and oxidant/antioxidant balance. This study highlighted the potential long-term consequences of in utero and lactational exposure to TCC on the postnatal development of the ovary in rat offspring.

Diaryl Ureas as an Antiprotozoal Chemotype

We now describe the physicochemical profiling, in vitro ADME, and antiparasitic activity of eight N,N'-diarylureas to assess their potential as a broad-spectrum antiprotozoal chemotype. Chromatographic LogD_7.4 values ranged from 2.5 to 4.5; kinetic aq. solubilities were ≤6.3 μg/mL, and plasma protein binding ranged from 95 to 99%. All of the compounds had low intrinsic clearance values in human, but not mouse, liver microsomes. Although no N,N'-diarylurea had submicromolar potency against Trypanosoma cruzi, two had submicromolar potencies against Toxoplasma gondii and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, and five had submicromolar potencies against Leishmania donovani. Plasmodium falciparum appeared to be the most susceptible to growth inhibition by this compound series. Most of the N,N'-diarylureas had antiprotozoal selectivities ≥10. One N,N'-diarylurea had demonstrable activity in mouse models of malaria and toxoplasmosis.

Triclocarban impairs autophagy in neuronal cells and disrupts estrogen receptor signaling via hypermethylation of specific genes

Although an increasing body of evidence suggests that triclocarban, a phenyl ether classified as a contaminant of emerging concern, presents a risk to development, there is limited data available on the potential interplay of triclocarban with the developing mammalian nervous system. This study was aimed to investigate the impact of environmentally pervasive chemical triclocarban on autophagy and estrogen receptor-mediated signaling pathways in mouse neurons. The study showed that triclocarban impaired autophagy and disrupted estrogen receptor signaling in mouse embryonic neurons in primary culture. Triclocarban used at environmentally relevant concentrations inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of ESR1 and GPER1 but not ESR2. The triclocarban-induced decrease in the expression of estrogen receptors was supported by the colocalization of the receptors in mouse neurons and corresponded to hypermethylation of the Esr1 and Gper1 genes. Selective antagonists increased the effects of triclocarban, which suggests that the neurotoxic effects of triclocarban, in addition to decreasing estrogen receptor expression, are mediated via inhibition of the neuroprotective capacity of the receptors. Furthermore, Becn1 and Atg7 siRNAs potentiated the caspase-3-dependent effect of triclocarban, which points to triclocarban-induced impairment of autophagy. Indeed, triclocarban dysregulated the expression of autophagy-related genes, and caused a time-dependent inhibition of the mRNA expression of Becn1, Map1lc3a, Map1lc3b, Nup62, and Atg7, which was correlated with a decrease in the protein levels of MAP1LC3B, BECN1 and autophagosomes, but not NUP62 protein level which was increased. Intriguingly, the Esr1 and Gper1 siRNAs did not affect the level of autophagosomes, suggesting that the triclocarban-induced impairment of autophagy is independent of the triclocarban-induced disruption of estrogen receptor signaling in mammalian neurons. Because our data provided evidence that triclocarban has the capacity to impair autophagy and disrupt estrogen receptor signaling in brain neurons at an early developmental stage, we postulate to categorize the compound as a neurodevelopmental risk factor.

In utero and lactational exposure to triclocarban: reproductive effects on female rat offspring

Triclocarban (TCC) is an antimicrobial compound widely used in personal care products such as soaps, toothpaste, and shampoo. This agent is incompletely removed by wastewater treatment and represents an environmental contaminant. Recent studies have shown that TCC is associated with some endocrine disruptions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if TCC exposure during critical periods of development (gestation and lactation) could lead to adverse effects on reproductive and behavior parameters of female offspring. Pregnant female Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 8-11/group): Control; TCC 0.3 mg/kg (TCC 0.3); TCC 1.5 mg/kg; TCC 3.0 mg/kg (TCC 3.0); and treated daily by oral gavage from gestational day 0 to lactational day 21. The female pups (F1 generation) were weaned on post-natal day 21 and included in the study. No litter-mates were used for the same group. There was a decrease in estradiol levels in the TCC 0.3 and TCC 3.0 groups. Moreover, there was a decrease in progesterone levels and an increase in pre-implantation loss in the TCC 3.0 group in adulthood. It is suggested, in this study, that the decrease in progesterone biosynthesis could interfere with implantation process. The exposure window to TCC is an important factor, as we found alterations only in the offspring.

Steroidomics for highlighting novel serum biomarkers of testosterone doping

Aim: Quantification of testosterone (T) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone serum concentrations proved to be an efficient alternative to urinary steroid profiling for the detection of T doping. In this context, additional serum markers could be discovered by exploratory untargeted steroidomics studies. Results: Endogenous steroid metabolites were monitored by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry in serum samples collected during a T administration clinical trial. A three-step workflow for accurate review of annotation was used and multifactorial data analysis allowed highlighting promising serum biomarkers. Longitudinal monitoring of selected compounds was performed to assess T abuse detection capabilities. Conclusion: Application of serum steroidomics showed high potential for biomarker discovery of T doping, suggesting longitudinal monitoring of steroid hormones in serum as a significant improvement in detection of endogenous steroids abuse.

A scoring approach for multi-platform acquisition in metabolomics

Since the ultimate goal of untargeted metabolomics is the analysis of the broadest possible range of metabolites, some new metrics have to be used by researchers to evaluate and select different analytical strategies when multi-platform analyses are considered. In this context, we aimed at developing a scoring approach allowing to compare the performance of different LC-MS conditions for metabolomics studies. By taking into account both chromatographic and MS attributes of the analytes' peaks (i.e. retention, signal-to-noise ratio, peak intensity and shape), the newly proposed score reflects the potential of a set of LC-MS operating conditions to provide useful analytical information for a given compound. A chemical library containing 597 metabolites was used as a benchmark to apply this approach on two RPLC and three HILIC methods hyphenated to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) in positive and negative ionization modes. The scores not only allowed to evaluate each analytical platform, but also to optimize the number of analytical methods needed for the analysis of metabolomics samples. As a result, the most informative combination of three LC methods and ionization modes was found, leading to a coverage of nearly 95% of the detected compounds. It was therefore demonstrated that the overall performance reached with three selected methods was almost equivalent to the performance reached when five LC-MS conditions were used.

Comprehensive steroid profiling by liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry

A steroidomics workflow has been developed in the objective of monitoring a wide range (n >150) of steroids in urine. The proposed workflow relies on the optimization of an adequate SPE extraction step followed by an UHPLC-HRMS/MS simultaneous analysis of both free and conjugated forms of C18, C19 and C21 steroid hormones. On the basis of 44 selected steroids, representative of main classes of steroids constituting the steroidome, the performances of the developed workflow were evaluated in terms of selectivity, repeatability (< 13%) and linearity (R2> 0.985 in the concentration range [0.01-10 ng/mL]). As metabolites identification and characterization constitute the bottleneck of such profiling approaches, a homemade database was created encompassing a large number of characterized free and conjugated steroids (n> 150) for putative steroid-like biomarkers identification purposes. The efficiency of the workflow in highlighting fine modifications within the urinary steroidome was assessed in the frame of an anabolic treatment involving an intra-muscular administration of boldenone undecylenate (2 mg/kg) to veals (n=6) and the investigation of potential steroid biomarkers. Besides monitoring known phase II metabolites of boldenone in the bovine specie, namely, boldenone glucuronide and sulfate, the applied strategy also permitted to observe, upon boldenone administration, a modified profile of epiboldenone glucuronide. Furthermore, 31 signals corresponding to non-identified steroid species could also be highlighted as impacted upon the exogenous steroid treatment. This study is the first to simultaneously investigate both free and conjugated C18, C19 and C21 steroid hormones in their native form using UHPLC-HRMS/MS and allowing their comprehensive profiling. This strategy was probed in-vivo.

High-Throughput H295R Steroidogenesis Assay: Utility as an Alternative and a Statistical Approach to Characterize Effects on Steroidogenesis

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have used the human adrenocarcinoma (H295R) cell-based assay to predict chemical perturbation of androgen and estrogen production. Recently, a high-throughput H295R (HT-H295R) assay was developed as part of the ToxCast program that includes measurement of 11 hormones, including progestagens, corticosteroids, androgens, and estrogens. To date, 2012 chemicals have been screened at 1 concentration; of these, 656 chemicals have been screened in concentration-response. The objectives of this work were to: (1) develop an integrated analysis of chemical-mediated effects on steroidogenesis in the HT-H295R assay and (2) evaluate whether the HT-H295R assay predicts estrogen and androgen production specifically via comparison with the OECD-validated H295R assay. To support application of HT-H295R assay data to weight-of-evidence and prioritization tasks, a single numeric value based on Mahalanobis distances was computed for 654 chemicals to indicate the magnitude of effects on the synthesis of 11 hormones. The maximum mean Mahalanobis distance (maxmMd) values were high for strong modulators (prochloraz, mifepristone) and lower for moderate modulators (atrazine, molinate). Twenty-five of 28 reference chemicals used for OECD validation were screened in the HT-H295R assay, and produced qualitatively similar results, with accuracies of 0.90/0.75 and 0.81/0.91 for increased/decreased testosterone and estradiol production, respectively. The HT-H295R assay provides robust information regarding estrogen and androgen production, as well as additional hormones. The maxmMd from this integrated analysis may provide a data-driven approach to prioritizing lists of chemicals for putative effects on steroidogenesis.

Progress in antischistosomal N,N'-diaryl urea SAR

N,N'-Diaryl ureas have recently emerged as a new antischistosomal chemotype. We now describe physicochemical profiling, in vitro ADME, plasma exposure, and ex vivo and in vivo activities against Schistosoma mansoni for twenty new N,N'-diaryl ureas designed primarily to increase aqueous solubility, but also to maximize structural diversity. Replacement of one of the 4-fluoro-3-trifluoromethylphenyl substructures of lead N,N'-diaryl urea 1 with azaheterocycles and benzoic acids, benzamides, or benzonitriles decreased lipophilicity, and in most cases, increased aqueous solubility. There was no clear relationship between lipophilicity and metabolic stability, although all compounds with 3-trifluoromethyl-4-pyridyl substructures were metabolically stable. N,N'-diaryl ureas containing 4-fluoro-3-trifluoromethylphenyl, 3-trifluoromethyl-4-pyridyl, 2,2-difluorobenzodioxole, or 4-benzonitrile substructures had high activity against ex vivo S. mansoni and relatively low cytotoxicity. N,N-diaryl ureas with 3-trifluoromethyl-4-pyridyl and 2,2-difluorobenzodioxole substructures had the highest exposures whereas those with 4-fluoro-3-trifluoromethylphenyl substructures had the best in vivo antischistosomal activities. There was no direct correlation between compound exposure and in vivo activity.

Sex-dependent impact of Roundup on the rat gut microbiome

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We have examined the long-term effects of Roundup on rat gut microbiota.

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141 bacteria families were identified by a high-throughput sequencing approach.

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Roundup caused an alteration of the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio.

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An environmental concentration of Roundup has a sex-dependent impact on rat gut microbiome.

A growing body of research suggests that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota induced by environmental pollutants, such as pesticides, could have a role in the development of metabolic disorders. We have examined the long-term effects of 3 doses of the Roundup(R) herbicide (made of glyphosate and formulants) on the gut microbiota in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. A total of 141 bacteria families were identified by a 16S sequencing analysis approach. An OPLS-DA analysis revealed an increased Bacteroidetes family S24-7 and a decreased Lactobacillaceae in 8 out of the 9 females treated with 3 different doses of R (n = 3, for each dose). These effects were confirmed by repetitive sequence-based PCR fingerprinting showing a clustering of treated females. A culture-based method showed that R had a direct effect on rat gut microbiota. Cultivable species showed different sensitivities to R, including the presence of a high tolerant or resistant strain identified as Escherichia coli by 16S rRNA sequencing. The high tolerance of this E. Coli strain was explained by the absence of the EPSPS gene (coding glyphosate target enzyme) as shown by DNA amplification. Overall, these gut microbiome disturbances showed a substantial overlap with those associated with liver dysfunction in other studies. In conclusion, we revealed that an environmental concentration of R (0.1 ppb) and other two concentrations (400 ppm and 5,000 ppm) have a sex-dependent impact on rat gut microbiome composition and thus warrants further investigation.

Potential Developmental and Reproductive Impacts of Triclocarban: A Scoping Review

Triclocarban (TCC) is an antimicrobial agent used in personal care products. Although frequently studied with another antimicrobial, triclosan, it is not as well researched, and there are very few reviews of the biological activity of TCC. TCC has been shown to be a possible endocrine disruptor, acting by enhancing the activity of endogenous hormones. TCC has been banned in the US for certain applications; however, many human populations, in and outside the US, exhibit exposure to TCC. Because of the concern of the health effects of TCC, we conducted a scoping review in order to map the current body of literature on the endocrine, reproductive, and developmental effects of TCC. The aim of this scoping review was to identify possible endpoints for future systematic review and to make recommendations for future research. A search of the literature until August 2017 yielded 32 relevant studies in humans, rodents, fish, invertebrates, and in vitro. Based on the robustness of the literature in all three evidence streams (human, animal, and in vitro), we identified three endpoints for possible systematic review: estrogenic activity, androgenic activity, and offspring growth. In this review, we describe the body of evidence and make recommendations for future research.

Enhanced metabolite annotation via dynamic retention time prediction: Steroidogenesis alterations as a case study

The development of metabolomics based on ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) now allows hundreds to thousands of metabolites to be simultaneously monitored in biological matrices. In that context, bioinformatics and multivariate data analysis (MVA) play a crucial role in the detection of relevant alteration patterns. However, sound biological interpretations must necessarily be supported by metabolite identifications to be definitive or at least have a high degree of confidence. Each compound, should be characterised by unique molecular properties. Among them, the exact mass and the chromatographic retention time are recognised as major and complementary criteria for compound identification. While the former is easily derived from the molecular structure, building generic and accurate retention time open databases still constitutes a critical issue because of the vast diversity of instruments, stationary phases and operating conditions in UHPLC-HRMS. Because several hits matching a molecular formula obtained from an exact mass and an isotopic pattern are often generated for each analyte, this methodology rarely allows a unique and unambiguous molecular identity to be gained. This work aims to provide a flexible solution to facilitate reliable compound annotation based on retention time in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). It proposes an innovative approach based on the chromatographic linear solvent strength (LSS) theory, allowing retention times under any gradient conditions at fixed temperature, stationary phase and mobile phase type to be predicted. Starting from a subset of the Human Metabolite Database (HMDB), a new dynamic database involving LSS parameters was developed. A real case study involving steroidogenesis alterations due to forskolin exposure was conducted using the adrenal H295R OECD reference cell model for endocrine disruptor screening. The prediction of retention times was successfully achieved, facilitating steroid identification. An automated procedure which implements the compound annotation levels encouraged by the Metabolite Standard Initiative (MSI) and the Coordination of Standards in Metabolomics (COSMOS) was also developed to speed up the process and enhance the data reusability.

Simultaneous profiling of 17 steroid hormones for the evaluation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in H295R cells

Aim: There is urgent need to develop a new protocol for the evaluation of chemical substances to potentially interact with the endocrine system and induce numerous pathological issues. The recently validated in vitro screening assay is limited on monitoring two steroid hormones. Methodology & results: The H295R model cell was exposed to seven endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The levels of 17 steroid hormones in cell extracts were subsequently determined by a quantitative targeted GC/MS/MS method. Through wide coverage, this system managed to capture the effects of exposure to increasing EDCs concentrations in the entire steroidogenic pathways. Conclusion: The developed approach could be beneficial for the mechanistic investigation of EDCs.

Effects of the antimicrobial contaminant triclocarban, and co-exposure with the androgen 17β-trenbolone, on reproductive function and ovarian transcriptome of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

Triclocarban (TCC) is an antimicrobial agent routinely detected in surface waters that has been hypothesized to interact with the vertebrate endocrine system. The present study examined the effects of TCC alone and in combination with the model endocrine disruptor 17β-trenbolone (TRB) on fish reproductive function. Adult Pimephales promelas were continuously exposed to either 1 µg TCC/L or 5 µg TCC/L, to 0.5 µg TRB/L, or to a mixture (MIX) of 5 µg TCC/L and 0.5 µg TRB/L for 22 d, and a variety of reproductive and endocrine-related endpoints were examined. Cumulative fecundity was significantly reduced in fathead minnows exposed to TRB, MIX, or 5 µg TCC/L. Exposure to 1 µg TCC/L had no effect on reproduction. In general, both TRB and MIX treatments caused similar physiological effects, evoking significant reductions in female plasma vitellogenin, estradiol, and testosterone, and significant increases in male plasma estradiol. Based on analysis of the ovarian transcriptome, there were potential pathway impacts that were common to both TRB- and TCC-containing treatment groups. In most cases, however, those pathways were more plausibly linked to differences in reproductive status than to androgen-specific functions. Overall, TCC was reproductively toxic to fish at concentrations at or near those that have been measured in surface water. There was little evidence that TCC elicits reproductive toxicity through a specific mode of endocrine or reproductive action, nor that it could augment the androgenic effects of TRB. Nonetheless, the relatively small margin of safety between some measured environmental concentrations and effect concentrations suggests that concern is warranted. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:231-242. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Two simple cleanup methods combined with LC-MS/MS for quantification of steroid hormones in in vivo and in vitro assays

Measuring both progestagens, androgens, corticosteroids as well as estrogens with a single method makes it possible to investigate the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on the main pathways in the mammalian steroidogenesis. This paper presents two simple methods for the determination of the major steroid hormones in biological matrixes using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS(2)). A novel method was developed for the determination of 14 steroids in the H295R in vitro assay without the need for solid phase extraction (SPE) purification prior to LC-MS(2) analysis. The in vitro assay was validated by exposing H295R cells to prochloraz for inhibiting steroid hormone secretion and by exposing cells to forskolin for inducing steroid hormone secretion. The developed method fulfills the recommendations for the H295R assay suggested by the OECD. Furthermore, a simple off-line SPE methodology was developed for the necessary clean-up of in vivo assays. Samples, such as gonad tissue, plasma and serum, are complex biological matrixes, and the SPE methodology was optimized to remove salts and proteins prior to elution of target analytes. At the same time, lipophilic compounds were retained on the SPE cartridge during elution. This, combined with the multi-steroid LC-MS(2) method, made it possible to determine 10 steroids in male Sprague-Dawley rat gonad tissue. Furthermore, it was possible to quantify 6 steroids in the plasma. In general, the observed concentration of steroid hormones in plasma, testes, and H295R cell medium corresponded well with previous studies. The off-line SPE method was validated using spiked charcoal-stripped serum. Method recovery, accuracy, precision and robustness were all good. Instrument sensitivity was in the range of 55-530 pg/mL (LLOQ).

Disruption of steroidogenesis: Cell models for mechanistic investigations and as screening tools

In the modern world, humans are exposed during their whole life to a large number of synthetic chemicals. Some of these chemicals have the potential to disrupt endocrine functions and contribute to the development and/or progression of major diseases. Every year approximately 1000 novel chemicals, used in industrial production, agriculture, consumer products or as pharmaceuticals, are reaching the market, often with limited safety assessment regarding potential endocrine activities. Steroids are essential endocrine hormones, and the importance of the steroidogenesis pathway as a target for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been recognized by leading scientists and authorities. Cell lines have a prominent role in the initial stages of toxicity assessment, i.e. for mechanistic investigations and for the medium to high throughput analysis of chemicals for potential steroidogenesis disrupting activities. Nevertheless, the users have to be aware of the limitations of the existing cell models in order to apply them properly, and there is a great demand for improved cell-based testing systems and protocols. This review intends to provide an overview of the available cell lines for studying effects of chemicals on gonadal and adrenal steroidogenesis, their use and limitations, as well as the need for future improvements of cell-based testing systems and protocols.

Prediction of retention time in reversed-phase liquid chromatography as a tool for steroid identification

The untargeted profiling of steroids constitutes a growing research field because of their importance as biomarkers of endocrine disruption. New technologies in analytical chemistry, such as ultra high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (MS), offer the possibility of a fast and sensitive analysis. Nevertheless, difficulties regarding steroid identification are encountered when considering isotopomeric steroids. Thus, the use of retention times is of great help for the unambiguous identification of steroids. In this context, starting from the linear solvent strength (LSS) theory, quantitative structure retention relationship (QSRR) models, based on a dataset composed of 91 endogenous steroids and VolSurf + descriptors combined with a new dedicated molecular fingerprint, were developed to predict retention times of steroid structures in any gradient mode conditions. Satisfactory performance was obtained during nested cross-validation with a predictive ability (Q(2)) of 0.92. The generalisation ability of the model was further confirmed by an average error of 4.4% in external prediction. This allowed the list of candidates associated with identical monoisotopic masses to be strongly reduced, facilitating definitive steroid identification.

Evaluation of steroidomics by liquid chromatography hyphenated to mass spectrometry as a powerful analytical strategy for measuring human steroid perturbations

This review presents the evolution of steroid analytical techniques, including gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), immunoassay (IA) and targeted liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and it evaluates the potential of extended steroid profiles by a metabolomics-based approach, namely steroidomics. Steroids regulate essential biological functions including growth and reproduction, and perturbations of the steroid homeostasis can generate serious physiological issues; therefore, specific and sensitive methods have been developed to measure steroid concentrations. GC-MS measuring several steroids simultaneously was considered the first historical standard method for analysis. Steroids were then quantified by immunoassay, allowing a higher throughput; however, major drawbacks included the measurement of a single compound instead of a panel and cross-reactivity reactions. Targeted LC-MS methods with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) were then introduced for quantifying a small steroid subset without the problems of cross-reactivity. The next step was the integration of metabolomic approaches in the context of steroid analyses. As metabolomics tends to identify and quantify all the metabolites (i.e., the metabolome) in a specific system, appropriate strategies were proposed for discovering new biomarkers. Steroidomics, defined as the untargeted analysis of the steroid content in a sample, was implemented in several fields, including doping analysis, clinical studies, in vivo or in vitro toxicology assays, and more. This review discusses the current analytical methods for assessing steroid changes and compares them to steroidomics. Steroids, their pathways, their implications in diseases and the biological matrices in which they are analysed will first be described. Then, the different analytical strategies will be presented with a focus on their ability to obtain relevant information on the steroid pattern. The future technical requirements for improving steroid analysis will also be presented.