Effect of growth-promoting 17beta-estradiol, 19-nortestosterone and dexamethasone on circulating levels of nine potential biomarker candidates in veal calves.
The use of screening methods based on the detection of biological effects of growth promoters is a promising approach to assist residue monitoring. To reveal useful effects on protein metabolism, male and female veal calves at 10 weeks of age were treated thrice with a combination of 25mg 17beta-estradiol 3-benzoate and 150 mg 19-nortestosterone decanoate with 2 weeks intervals and finally once with 4 mg dexamethasone. Hormone-treated calves showed a significant accelerated growth rate over 6 weeks. Plasma samples of treated and control calves were analysed for immunoreactive inhibin (ir-inhibin), osteocalcin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2), IGFBP-3, luteinzing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin using immunoaffinity assays. Hormone treatment did not affect levels of IGF-1, IGFBP-2, IGFBP-3, LH, FSH and prolactin. The concentration of circulating ir-inhibin decreased, however, significantly (P<0.05) in bull calves upon administration of the sex steroids, whereas it remained unchanged in the female animals. Dexamethasone treatment decreased significantly (P<0.05) circulating levels of osteocalcin in both female and male animals. Ir-inhibin and osteocalcin were, therefore, considered as candidates for a protein biomarker-based screening assay for detection of abuse of estrogens, androgens and/or glucocorticoids in cattle fattening, which is being developed in the framework of EU research project BioCop (www.biocop.org).
Cacciatore
Giuseppe
G
Utrecht University, IRAS - Division of Veterinary Public Health, PO Box 80175, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Eisenberg
Susanne W F
SW
Situ
Chen
C
Mooney
Mark H
MH
Delahaut
Philippe
P
Klarenbeek
Sjoerd
S
Huet
Anne-Catherine
AC
Bergwerff
Aldert A
AA
Elliott
Christopher T
CT
D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009277:Nandrolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*
D045930:Anabolic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D004958:Estradiol; D009277:Nandrolone; D003907:Dexamethasone