Archaeological interest in the quantification and analysis of ancient hormones, particularly cortisol, has increased in the past decade. Prior studies have employed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methodologies; however, there are inherent limitations to ELISA-based analyses of ancient hormones. In this presentation we discuss these limitations, but also present recent results using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The high sensitivity and selectivity of LC-MS/MS has the ability to produce data that are more accurate and reliable, although costly.
Here we present new paleohormone data from the Netherlands (post-medieval period, ca. 1600-1850), illustrating LC-MS/MS capability. Initial testing of human bone suggests progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol can be quantified using LC-MS/MS within acceptable ranges of precision and accuracy. However, cortisol could not be reliably detected. We propose a new method for...
Show moreArchaeological interest in the quantification and analysis of ancient hormones, particularly cortisol, has increased in the past decade. Prior studies have employed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methodologies; however, there are inherent limitations to ELISA-based analyses of ancient hormones. In this presentation we discuss these limitations, but also present recent results using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The high sensitivity and selectivity of LC-MS/MS has the ability to produce data that are more accurate and reliable, although costly.
Here we present new paleohormone data from the Netherlands (post-medieval period, ca. 1600-1850), illustrating LC-MS/MS capability. Initial testing of human bone suggests progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol can be quantified using LC-MS/MS within acceptable ranges of precision and accuracy. However, cortisol could not be reliably detected. We propose a new method for paleohormone analysis of human bone, moving beyond previous studies of archaeological hair and dentine. These findings have the potential to revolutionize the study of paleohormones in the past, given that LC-MS/MS is arguably more reliable than former ELISA-based analyses and present an opportunity for a lifecourse approach. Furthermore, the examination of additional hormones beyond cortisol could have profound impacts on what we know about the past.
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