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Integrated analytical approach in veal calves administered the anabolic androgenic steroids boldenone and boldione: urine and plasma kinetic profile and changes in plasma protein expression
Author(s) -
Draisci Rosa,
Montesissa Clara,
Santamaria Barbara,
D'Ambrosio Chiara,
Ferretti Giovanni,
Merlanti Roberta,
Ferranti Carolina,
De Liguoro Marco,
Cartoni Claudia,
Pistarino Erika,
Ferrara Lino,
Tiso Micaela,
Scaloni Andrea,
Cosulich M. Elisabetta
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
proteomics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.26
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1615-9861
pISSN - 1615-9853
DOI - 10.1002/pmic.200601039
Subject(s) - urine , chemistry , hormone , chromatography , testosterone (patch) , anabolism , steroid , western blot , epitestosterone , endocrinology , medicine , biochemistry , biology , gene
Surveillance of illegal use of steroids hormones in cattle breeding is a key issue to preserve human health. To this purpose, an integrated approach has been developed for the analysis of plasma and urine from calves treated orally with a single dose of a combination of the androgenic steroids boldenone and boldione. A quantitative estimation of steroid hormones was obtained by LC‐APCI‐Q‐MS/MS analysis of plasma and urine samples obtained at various times up to 36 and 24 h after treatment, respectively. These experiments demonstrated that boldione was never found, while boldenone α‐ and β‐epimers were detected in plasma and urine only within 2 and 24 h after drug administration, respectively. Parallel proteomic analysis of plasma samples was obtained by combined 2‐DE, MALDI‐TOF‐MS and μLC‐ESI‐IT‐MS/MS procedures. A specific protein, poorly represented in normal plasma samples collected before treatment, was found upregulated even 36 h after hormone treatment. Extensive mass mapping experiments proved this component as an N‐terminal truncated form of apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), a protein involved in cholesterol transport. The expression profile of ApoA1 analysed by Western blot analysis confirmed a significant and time dependent increase of this ApoA1 fragment. Then, provided that further experiments performed with a growth‐promoting schedule will confirm these preliminary findings, truncated ApoA1 may be proposed as a candidate biomarker for steroid boldenone and possibly other anabolic androgens misuse in cattle veal calves, when no traces of hormones are detectable in plasma or urine.