Erythropoietin administration does not influence the GH--IGF axis or makers of bone turnover in recreational athletes.
OBJECTIVE
Measurement of biochemical markers of the IGF-system and of collagen turnover is a potential approach to detect GH abuse in sport. These markers are increased in patients on dialysis treated with recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO), mimicking the effects of GH. The aim was to determine whether r-HuEPO induces similar effects on the IGF-system and collagen turnover in healthy athletes.


METHODS
Young male Caucasian recreational athletes were administered 50 U/kg r-HuEPO (n=14) or placebo (n=16) three times a week for 25 days, followed by a 4-week wash-out period. IGF-I, IGFBP-3, the acid labile subunit (ALS), N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (PINP), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and N-terminal propeptide of type III collagen (PIIINP) were measured in samples collected at baseline (two samples), after 10, 22 and 24 days of r-HuEPO treatment and at the end of the 4-week wash-out period.


RESULTS
Treatment with r-HuEPO resulted in approximately threefold elevation of serum EPO and marked elevation of markers of erythropoiesis. There was no significant treatment effect of r-HuEPO compared to baseline on IGF-I, IGFBP-3, ALS, PINP, ICTP or PIIINP.


CONCLUSIONS
r-HuEPO administration did not change markers of the IGF-system and of collagen turnover in young healthy male athletes. Therefore, use of r-HuEPO in athletes should not affect the validity of a GH doping test using these GH-responsive markers.
Nelson
A E
AE
Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Department of Endocrinology, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.
Howe
C J
CJ
Nguyen
T V
TV
Seibel
M J
MJ
Baxter
R C
RC
Handelsman
D J
DJ
Kazlauskas
R
R
Ho
K K
KK
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D024042:Collagen Type I; D004300:Doping in Sports; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D010455:Peptides; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013177:Sports
D015415:Biomarkers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D024042:Collagen Type I; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D011347:Procollagen; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013002:Somatomedins; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; C075944:insulin-like growth factor binding protein, acid labile subunit; C047202:procollagen Type I N-terminal peptide; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide; C042813:procollagen type I carboxy terminal peptide; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D003094:Collagen