Dr. Diamandis (pictured left) has recently published research in Clinical Chemistry discussing the potential linkage between PSA and doping detection.
PCC funded research by Dr. E.P. Diamandis discussing the implications of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for anti-doping has been published in Clinical Chemistry.
The research, which sought to determine PSA as a marker of both hyperandrogenism (increased androgen production) and doping by anabolic steroids in women, involved two major tasks:
First, analysis of 45 serum samples from women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a syndrome that causes women to exhibit a hyperandrogenic state, was performed using a highly sensitive PSA assay, and matched with 45 samples from a control group.
Second, the analysis of urine and blood samples from 100 Olympic level athletes as well as 100 control samples was performed.
Dr. Diamandis found PSA levels in women with PCOS were much higher than levels found in control groups, indicating PSA has excellent potential as a surrogate biomarker of androgenic activity.
Typically PSA is undetectable in females, so an elevated PSA appears to be associated with hyperandrogenism either from natural or synthetic androgenic steroids. Thus, Dr. Diamandis hypothesizes newly developed ultrasensitive PSA assays will complement longitudinal long-term stability analysis of steroid profiles (Athlete Biological Passports) to support sensitive detection of doping.
Read the full text in Clinical Chemistry here: http://www.clinchem.org/content/early/2016/06/01/clinchem.2016.256198.abstract
Dr. Diamandis currently serves as Division Head of Clinical Biochemistry at Mount Sinai Hospital and Biochemist-in-Chief at the University Health Network and is Professor & Head, Clinical Biochemistry, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His research activities evolve around discovery and validation of cancer biomarkers, proteomics, mass spectrometry and translational research.
Learn more about Dr. Diamandis’ research in ACDC labs at Mt. Sinai Toronto by clicking here.
