Improvement of EPO Transgene Detection From Polymeric Dried Blood Spots for Antidoping Application
Marchand et al.
The finding, in our words
In a head-to-head comparison of three DBS devices, polymeric Tasso-M20 and Neoteryx Mitra outperformed cellulosic Whatman 903 for EPO transgene detection; full validation of Tasso-M20 DBS showed robust detection at 5000 copies per mL (100 copies per 20-μL spot) across multiple weeks, enabling high-sensitivity gene doping detection from fingerprick dried blood and facilitating reanalysis.
A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.
The authors found that a single microdose of recombinant EPO was detectable up to 72 hours using ITP and CP methods, though the Tasso microsampling device showed lower sensitivity than Mitra and Capitainer. Additionally, isotope ratio mass spectrometry successfully detected testosterone micro-dosing in all analysed samples, supported by serum testosterone levels.
Heiland et al., Drug testing and analysis · source ↗
Capillary dried blood spots collected during professional triathlon competitions detected endogenous erythropoietin in all 111 athletes using Tasso-M20 devices, even when matching urine samples were negative. Mitra VAMS devices also sensitively detected recombinant EPO micro-doses and the EPO c.577del variant, confirming that microsampling provides a viable complementary matrix for decentralised doping analysis.
Heiland et al., Drug testing and analysis (paywalled) · source ↗
This review found that volumetric microsampling devices, such as Mitra, HemaPEN, HemaXis DB10, and Tasso-M20, overcome haematocrit bias, whilst Telimmune plasma separation cards enable direct plasma collection without centrifugation. These technologies support patient-centric, decentralised sampling, though the authors note that clinical validation remains limited across different drugs and patient populations.
Huhn & Scherf-Clavel, Therapeutic drug monitoring (paywalled) · source ↗
Capillary samples collected using dried blood spots and Mitra microsamplers showed strong agreement with venous plasma for quantifying IgG antibodies against most vaccine-preventable diseases. Sensitivity was high for the majority of pathogens, though the study noted that antibody stability declined at room temperature over time, favouring cold storage for longer durations.
Ombati et al., Scientific reports (paywalled) · source ↗
A validated two-step LC-MS/MS protocol can identify 91 prohibited doping agents from a single dried blood spot collected on either cellulose cards or volumetric absorptive microsampling devices. This demonstrates robust multi-analyte screening from capillary blood, supporting decentralised anti-doping programmes where venous sampling is impractical.