The potential of urinary androstdiene markers to identify 4-androstenediol (4-ADIOL) administration in athletes

• Published in: Forensic science international 2011-05, Vol.208 (1), p.129-138
• Main Authors: Cawley, Adam T, Trout, Graham J, Kazlauskas, Rymantas, George, Adrian V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anabolic Agents - administration & dosage; Androst-2,4-diene-17-one; Androst-3,5-diene-17-one; Androstanes - chemistry; Androstanes - urine; Androstenediol; Androstenediol - administration & dosage; Athletes; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - urine; Carbon isotope ratio ( δ13C); Carbon isotopes; Carbon Isotopes - analysis; Catalysts; Chromatography; Density; Depletion; Diagnostic systems; Doping; Doping control; Doping in Sports; Drugs & sports; Forensic medicine; Forensic science; Forensic sciences; Gas chromatography; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Gas chromatography–combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC–C-IRMS); Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS); Gases; General aspects; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Isotope ratios; Isotopes; Laboratories; Markers; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Medical sciences; Metabolism; Metabolites; Molecular Structure; Oral administration; Pathology; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Reference materials; Scientific imaging; Spectroscopy; Steroid hormones; Steroids; Substance Abuse Detection - methods; Urine
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.11.016

Abstract Doping control laboratories accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) require criteria that allow endogenous steroids to be distinguished from their synthetic analogues in urine. Methodology based on “looking outside the metabolic box” was used in this study to identify diagnostic urinary markers of 4-androstenediol (4-ADIOL) administration. Androst-2,4-diene-17-one and androst-3,5-diene-17-one are proposed to be formed in urine from acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of 4-ADIOL sulfoconjugate, a major phase II metabolic product of 4-ADIOL. The presence of these markers in the routine gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) steroid screen was suitable to identify samples requiring confirmation by gas chromatography–combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC–C-IRMS) – to measure the carbon isotope ratio ( δ13 C) of the androstdiene markers and confirm their likely synthetic origin based on depleted13 C content.