Identification of recombinant human relaxin-2 in equine plasma by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.

This research is about a novel method to detect a performance-enhancing peptide hormone, relaxin-2, in horse plasma by using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.

Identifying Relaxin-2

• Relaxin (RLX) is a peptide hormone, among which RLX-2 is the major hormone in humans.
• This hormone, consisting of two peptide chains (A-chain and B-chain) linked together, can cause the dilation of blood vessels around smooth muscles.
• The dilation results in an increased supply of blood and oxygen to the muscles, which can enhance athletic performance.
• Due to its potential for enhancing performance, RLX-2 is banned in various sports, both human and equestrian.

The Need for Detection Method

• Controlling the misuse of RLX-2 requires a definitive detection method to identify its presence in biological samples, particularly equine plasma as horseracing is a popular and economically significant sport.
• Prior to this study, there was no reported method to detect RLX-2 in equine plasma to regulate its abuse in the equestrian field.

Research Methodology and Findings

• This research introduces the detection and confirmation of RLX-2 in equine plasma using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) after an immunoaffinity extraction process.
• This process was successful in detecting the presence of RLX-2 at less than 0.1 ng/ml and confirming it at below 0.2 ng/ml in plasma samples.
• Thus, the research demonstrates a newly developed and effective way to detect RLX-2 in equine plasma to mitigate the misuse of this performance-enhancing hormone in sports.