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Kwok WH, Choi TLS, Leung GNW, Wong ASY, Yue SK, Wan TSM, Ho ENM. Administration study of recombinant human relaxin-2 in horse for doping control purpose. Drug Test Anal 2019; 12:361-370. [PMID: 31726484 DOI: 10.1002/dta.2732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The insulin-like peptide relaxin (RLX), an endogenous peptide hormone produced in human for pregnancy and reproduction, is also known to exert a range of physiological and pathological effects. Its use is banned in human sports, horseracing, and equestrian competitions due to its potential performance enhancing effect through vasodilation resulting in the increase of blood and oxygen supplies to muscles. Little is known about the biotransformation and elimination of RLX in horses. This paper describes an administration study of rhRLX-2 and its elimination in horses, and the development of sensitive methods for the detection and confirmation of rhRLX-2 in both horse plasma and urine by nano-liquid chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (nano-LC/HRMS) after immunoaffinity extraction with the objective of controlling the abuse of rhRLX-2 in horses. The limits of detection in plasma and urine are 2 pg/mL and 5 pg/mL, respectively. Two thoroughbred geldings were each administered one dose of 10 mg rhRLX-2 subcutaneously daily for 3 consecutive days. The rhRLX-2 could be detected and confirmed in the plasma and urine samples collected 105 h and 80 h, respectively, after the last dose of administration. For doping control purposes, rhRLX-2 ELISA could be used as a screening test to identify potential positive samples for further investigation using the nano-LC/HRMS methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Him 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
| | - Gary N W Leung
- Racing Laboratory, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - April S 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
| | - 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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Cimini D, Corte KD, Finamore R, Andreozzi L, Stellavato A, Pirozzi AVA, Ferrara F, Formisano R, De Rosa M, Chino M, Lista L, Lombardi A, Pavone V, Schiraldi C. Production of human pro-relaxin H2 in the yeast Pichia pastoris. BMC Biotechnol 2017; 17:4. [PMID: 28088197 PMCID: PMC5237503 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-016-0319-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Initially known as the reproductive hormone, relaxin was shown to possess other therapeutically useful properties that include extracellular matrix remodeling, anti-inflammatory, anti-ischemic and angiogenic effects. All these findings make relaxin a potential drug for diverse medical applications. Its precursor, pro-relaxin, is an 18 kDa protein, that shows activity in in vitro assays. Since extraction of relaxin from animal tissues raises several issues, prokaryotes and eukaryotes were both used as expression systems for recombinant relaxin production. Most productive results were obtained when using Escherichia coli as a host for human relaxin expression. However, in such host, relaxin precipitated in the form of inclusion bodies and, therefore, required several expensive recovery steps as cell lysis, refolding and reduction. Results To overcome the issues related to prokaryotic expression here we report the production and purification of secreted human pro-relaxin H2 by using the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris as expression host. The methanol inducible promoter AOX1 was used to drive expression of the native and histidine tagged forms of pro-relaxin H2 in dual phase fed-batch experiments on the 22 L scale. Both protein forms presented the correct structure, as determined by mass spectrometry and western blotting analyses, and demonstrated to be biologically active in immune enzymatic assays. The presence of the tag allowed to simplify pro-relaxin purification obtaining higher purity. Conclusions This work presents a strategy for microbial production of recombinant human pro-relaxin H2 in Pichia pastoris that allowed the obtainment of biologically active pro-hormone, with a final concentration in the fermentation broth ranging between 10 and 14 mg/L of product, as determined by densitometric analyses. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12896-016-0319-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Cimini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
| | - K Della Corte
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - R Finamore
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - L Andreozzi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - A Stellavato
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - A V A Pirozzi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - F Ferrara
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - R Formisano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - M De Rosa
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - M Chino
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia I, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - L Lista
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia I, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - A Lombardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia I, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - V Pavone
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia I, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - C Schiraldi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Second University of Naples and University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, via de Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
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Wong ASY, Ho ENM, Kwok WH, Leung GNW, Shen Y, Qi RZ, Yue SK, Wan TSM. Identification of porcine relaxin in plasma by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. Drug Test Anal 2016; 9:1412-1420. [PMID: 27928890 DOI: 10.1002/dta.2143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- April S. Y. Wong
- Racing Laboratory; 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
| | - W. H. Kwok
- 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
| | - Yuehong Shen
- Division of Life Science; The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Hong Kong, China
| | - Robert Z. Qi
- Division of Life Science; The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Hong Kong, China
| | - Samuel K. Yue
- Minnesota Pain Center; Suite 122, 225 University Ave West St Paul MN 55103 USA
| | - Terence S. M. Wan
- Racing Laboratory; The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Sha Tin Racecourse Sha Tin N.T. Hong Kong, China
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Renegar RH, Owens CR. Measurement of plasma and tissue relaxin concentrations in the pregnant hamster and fetus using a homologous radioimmunoassay. Biol Reprod 2002; 67:500-5. [PMID: 12135888 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod67.2.500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
A homologous hamster relaxin RIA was developed to evaluate plasma and tissue concentrations of relaxin in the latter half of pregnancy in this species. Relaxin protein and mRNA were localized using antibodies developed to synthetic hamster relaxin and gene-specific molecular probes, respectively. Molecular weight and isoelectric point of the synthetic and native hormones were identical by electrophoretic methods, and synthetic hamster relaxin was active in the mouse interpubic ligament bioassay. Synthetic hormone was used as tracer and standard with rabbit antiserum to the synthetic hormone in the RIA. Relaxin was assayed in blood samples recovered from the retro-orbital plexus on Days 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, and 16 of gestation and on Days 1 and 5 postpartum. Relaxin was first detected on Day 8 of gestation (3.7 +/- 0.6 ng/ml), increased to reach a maximum in the evening of Day 15 (826.0 +/- 124.0 ng/ml), and decreased by Day 16 (day of parturition). Relaxin concentrations were assayed in aqueous extracts of implantation sites (Days 6, 8, and 10) and chorioallantoic placentae (Days 12, 14, and 15). Concentrations were low on Day 6 (0.02 +/- 0.001 microg/g tissue), increased to Day 15 (6.96 +/- 0.86 microg/g tissue), and subsequently declined by the evening of Day 15. Relaxin protein and mRNA were localized to primary and secondary giant trophoblast cells in the chorioallantoic placental trophospongium. However, relaxin protein was not localized in ovaries of pregnant animals or oviductal tissues of cycling animals. Significant quantities of relaxin were detected in the serum of fetal hamsters recovered on Day 15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randall H Renegar
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.
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