Abstract

Recognition by the legal authorities that growth hormones (GHs) may be abused to improve sporting performance and/or physique has led to the implementation of controls that make it an offence to produce, supply, possess or import and export GHs, with intent to supply, without the authority to do so. A method is described for the discriminatory analysis of human, equine, porcine and bovine GHs for forensic purposes. Peptide-mass mapping by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry following tryptic digestion gave sequence coverages of 97.4%, 93.7%, 94.2% and 90.6% for human, equine, porcine and bovine GHs respectively. The tryptic-mass maps generated were sufficient to discriminate between the four hormones analysed and thus provide unambiguous identification of each individual GH. Identification of the N-terminal peptides of recombinant equine and porcine GHs, which possess additional methionine residues, within the tryptic-mass maps may provide the basis of a test to indicate exogeneous administration rather than endogenous secretion of GH in performance dogs and horses.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.