A high-throughput test to detect C.E.R.A. doping in blood.
C.E.R.A., a continuous erythropoietin receptor activator, is a new third-generation erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) that has recently been linked with abuse in endurance sports. In order to combat this new form of doping, we examined an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) designed to detect the presence of C.E.R.A. in serum samples. The performance of the assay was evaluated using a pilot excretion study that involved six subjects receiving C.E.R.A. Validation data demonstrated an excellent reproducibility and ensured the applicability of the assay for anti-doping purposes. To maximize the chances of detecting the drug in serum samples, we propose the use of this specific ELISA test as a high-throughput screening method, combined with a classic isoelectric focusing test as a confirmatory assay. This strategy should make C.E.R.A. abuse relatively easy to detect, thereby preventing the future use of this drug as a doping agent.
Lamon
Séverine
S
Laboratoire Suisse d'Analyse du Dopage, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Croisettes 22, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
Giraud
Sylvain
S
Egli
Léonie
L
Smolander
Jessica
J
Jarsch
Michael
M
Stubenrauch
Kay-Gunnar
KG
Hellwig
Alice
A
Saugy
Martial
M
Robinson
Neil
N
D000328:Adult; D004300:Doping in Sports; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000032:analysis*; D012372:ROC Curve; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C508420:continuous erythropoietin receptor activator; D004921:Erythropoietin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols