Micro-RNAs sequencing in milk exosomes for detection of recombinant somatotropin misuse in dairy cows

The recombinant somatotropin (rbST) is a synthetic hormone developed to mimic the effects of endogenous growth hormone (GH), also known as bovine somatotropin (bST). Although rbST use in dairy cows is authorized in several countries to increase milk production, it is currently banned in Europe. Among available strategies for detection of rbST abuse, biomarker perturbations induced at transcriptional, protein and metabolic levels are really promising tools to be considered. In this context, untargeted transcriptomics was applied to characterize the micro RNAs (miRNA) isolated from milk exosomes in rbST treated animals, aiming the identification of potential transcriptional biomarkers related to somatotropin administration.