A microsphere-based duplex competitive immunoassay for the simultaneous measurements of aldosterone and testosterone in small sample volumes: validation in human and mouse plasma.
BACKGROUND
The small blood volumes available in rodent studies often limit adequate quantification of all hormones of interest. We report here the development of two new assays combining an extraction step with multiplex immunoassay (MIA) technology for the simultaneous determination of aldosterone and testosterone in 50 μl sample volume.


METHODS
Following solvent extraction, aldosterone and testosterone competitive immunoassays are performed incorporating biotinylated tracers and antibody-coated beads each having a unique fluorescence. Quantification is via addition of streptavidin-R-phycoerythrin (SA-PE). The assays were validated and compared to established methods. Baseline hormone levels in mice from four different strains, and changes after ACTH and HCG stimulation in CD-1 mice are shown.


RESULTS
The assays are sensitive (aldosterone 15 pg/ml, testosterone 12 pg/ml), reproducible (intra-/inter-assay imprecision aldosterone 5.1-15.6%/9.9-15.8% and testosterone 9.7-10.9%/7.7-11.4%) and correlate significantly to established assays (r=0.94-0.95). Baseline aldosterone levels varied between strains, but not between the genders. Testosterone was significantly higher in male of all strains except in C57BL/6 × NMRI mice. After ACTH injection, aldosterone (median, interquartile range) rose from 354 (261-396) pg/ml to 2008 (875-2467) in male and from 260 (210-576) to 1120 (734-1528) in female CD-1 mice. HCG injection in the same strain increased testosterone in male mice only (3.5 (0.4-8.3) ng/ml to 31.8 (30.4-33.9) ng/ml, P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
We describe a MIA for the simultaneous measurement of aldosterone and testosterone in small volumes after extraction. In addition to presenting a new tool for steroid research in rodent models, our data show strain-dependent differences in steroid hormone metabolism in rodents.
Sun
Min
M
Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Manolopoulou
Jenny
J
Spyroglou
Ariadni
A
Beuschlein
Felix
F
Hantel
Constanze
C
Wu
Zida
Z
Bielohuby
Maximilian
M
Hoeflich
Andreas
A
Liu
Chao
C
Bidlingmaier
Martin
M
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008863:Microspheres; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013045:Species Specificity; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013739:Testosterone; D000450:Aldosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone