Determination of cholesterol absorption in humans: from radiolabel to stable isotope studies

Hypercholesterolemia is a major health risk. Dietary cholesterol absorption is one important factor affecting levels of plasma and tissue cholesterol. Considerable effort has thus been devoted to develop reliable in vivo clinical methodologies to determine dietary cholesterol absorption in humans. The present paper summarises radiolabelled experiments and major advances in stable isotope technologies to determine cholesterol absorption. Initially, direct methods employing gastro-intestinal intubation were developed. Later, indirect methods using oral–faecal cholesterol balance permitted calculation of cholesterol mass absorption. Once the use of radiolabelled [³H, ¹⁴C]cholesterol balance was developed in healthy humans, it was finally possible to distinguish exogenous and endogenous cholesterol. Non-invasive and safer stable isotope (²H, ¹³C, ¹⁸O) labelled cholesterol tracers then replaced radioisotopes for use in infants and adults. Stable isotopes and radioisotopes showed identical cholesterol kinetics. The most promising contemporary stable isotope assessment of cholesterol absorption is a dual stable isotope dual tracer approach based on simultaneous administration of oral and intravenous differentially labelled cholesterol tracers, followed by plasma sampling for 3–4?d. Online GC/Combustion/IRMS and GC/Pyrolysis/IRMS allow minimal amounts of dual stable isotope cholesterol tracers to be detected. Using the dual stable isotope dual tracer approach, the percent cholesterol absorption in adult volunteers has been determined to be 50–70%.     

Use of dual isotope tracers in biomedical research

Biomedical stable isotope studies involve administration of tracer and measurement of isotope enrichment in blood, urine, feces or breath. The aim of the studies is to gather quantitative information about a specific metabolic function. However, the measured isotope enrichment may be affected by other metabolic events than only this function. In this case, a correction is necessary. The best approach is to add a second tracer simultaneously which is known to be metabolised by all interfering metabolic events but not by the function of interest. This dual isotope approach also enables simultaneous measurement of two interrelated functions. A summary of selected applications involving dual isotope tracer studies is presented. The applications deal with energy expenditure (doubly labelled water technique), cholesterol absorption, starch and lactose digestion, fat digestion, bile acid metabolism and the combination of stable and radioactive carbon isotopes in breath testing.     

The Fate of [(15)N]Ammonium and [(15)N]Nitrate in the Soil of a 140-Year-Old Spruce Stand (Picea Abies) in the Fichtelgebirge (NE-Bavaria)

Abstract A (15)N tracer-experiment was carried out in a 140-year-old spruce stand (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in the Fichtelgebirge (NE-Bavaria, Germany). Highly enriched (98 at%) [(15)N]ammonium and [(15)N]nitrate were applied as tracers by simulation of a deposition of 41.3 mol N ha(-1) with 11 water m(-2). To examine seasonal variations of uptake by spruce and understorey vegetation, different plots were labelled in spring, summer and autumn 1994. One aim of the present study was to perfect a method of preparation of soil extracts for isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) measurements. Ammonium and nitrate from soil extracts were prepared for IRMS measurements by steam distillation and subsequent freeze drying. Additionally, tracer distribution and transformations in the soil nitrogen pools were examined. Ammonium, nitrate and total nitrogen were examined in the organic layer and the upper 10 cm of the mineral soil during 3 months after the first tracer application in spring 1994. In July 1994, three months after tracer application, 40% of the [(15)N]ammonium label and 29% of the [(15)N]nitrate label, respectively, were recovered in the total N pool of the investigated soil horizons. In the organic layer the L/Of horizon retained most of the recovered tracers. Nitrification, immobilisation and mineralisation occurred even under the conditions of high soil acidity at the study site.     

Isotope ratio monitoring gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry of D/H by high temperature conversion isotope ratio mass spectrometry

Of all the elements, hydrogen has the largest naturally occurring variations in the ratio of its stable isotopes (D/H). It is for this reason that there has been a strong desire to add hydrogen to the list of elements amenable to isotope ratio monitoring gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (irm-GC/MS). In irm-GC/MS the sample is entrained in helium as the carrier gas, which is also ionized and separated in the isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). Because of the low abundance of deuterium in nature, precise and accurate on-line monitoring of D/H ratios with an IRMS requires that low energy helium ions be kept out of the m/z 3 collector, which requires the use of an energy filter. A clean mass 3 (HD(+.)) signal which is independent of a large helium load in the electron impact ion source is essential in order to reach the sensitivity required for D/H analysis of capillary GC peaks. A new IRMS system, the DELTA(plus)XL(trade mark), has been designed for high precision, high accuracy measurements of transient signals of hydrogen gas. It incorporates a retardation lens integrated into the m/z 3 Faraday cup collector. Following GC separation, the hydrogen bound in organic compounds must be quantitatively converted into H(2) gas prior to analysis in the IRMS. Quantitative conversion is achieved by high temperature conversion (TC) at temperatures >1400 degrees C. Measurements of D/H ratios of individual organic compounds in complicated natural mixtures can now be made to a precision of 2 per thousand (delta notation) or, better, with typical sample amounts of approximately 200 ng per compound. Initial applications have focused on compounds of interest to petroleum research (biomarkers and natural gas components), food and flavor control (vanillin and ethanol), and metabolic studies (fatty acids and steroids). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Fate of [15N]Ammonium and [15N]Nitrate in the Soil of a 140-Year-Old Spruce Stand (Picea Abies) in the Fichtelgebirge (NE-Bavaria)

Abstract

A ¹⁵N tracer-experiment was carried out in a 140-year-old spruce stand (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in the Fichtelgebirge (NE-Bavaria, Germany). Highly enriched (98 at%) [¹⁵N]ammonium and [¹⁵N]nitrate were applied as tracers by simulation of a deposition of 41.3 mol N ha^?1 with 11 water m^?2. To examine seasonal variations of uptake by spruce and understorey vegetation, different plots were labelled in spring, summer and autumn 1994.

One aim of the present study was to perfect a method of preparation of soil extracts for isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) measurements. Ammonium and nitrate from soil extracts were prepared for IRMS measurements by steam distillation and subsequent freeze drying. Additionally, tracer distribution and transformations in the soil nitrogen pools were examined. Ammonium, nitrate and total nitrogen were examined in the organic layer and the upper 10 cm of the mineral soil during 3 months after the first tracer application in spring 1994.

In July 1994, three months after tracer application, 40% of the [¹⁵N]ammonium label and 29% of the [¹⁵N]nitrate label, respectively, were recovered in the total N pool of the investigated soil horizons. In the organic layer the L/Of horizon retained most of the recovered tracers. Nitrification, immobilisation and mineralisation occurred even under the conditions of high soil acidity at the study site.     

稳定性同位素评价南方膳食结构中铁的吸收率

评价南方膳食结构中铁的吸收率,为我国不同人群、不同膳食类型的铁吸收率提供参考资料。采用~(57)Fe-EDTA或~(57)FeSO4两种铁的稳定性同位素示踪方法,以稀土元素Dy作为排泄物的回收标记物,于现场进行人体代谢试验,受试者为健康成年男子和孕龄妇女各10名,分6次口服3.0mg的~(57)Fe稳定性同位素示踪剂及2.0mg的Dy,粪便监测法收集同位素排出粪样;用电感耦合等离子体质谱仪测定粪样~(57)Fe/~(56)Fe的比值,用原子吸收光谱法测定粪样总Fe,从而计算该人群膳食铁的吸收率。在南方膳食结构中,口服~(57)Fe-EDTA示踪剂,成年男子膳食铁的吸收率为7.34%,孕龄妇女的吸收率为6.92%;口服~(57)Fe-SO4示踪剂,成年男子膳食铁的吸收率为6.01%,孕龄妇女的吸收率为5.40%。本研究结果表明口服~(57)Fe-EDTA评价膳食铁吸收率虽有高于用~(57)FeSO4评价结果的趋势,但无显著性统计分析差异。中国南方城市膳食中铁的吸收率与2000年中国营养学会对我国居民膳食铁吸收率的估计水平大致相当。     

Comparative Investigations on Intestinal Calcium Absorption from Two Therapeutic Preparations in Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

Intestinal calcium absorption from two different therapeutic preparations was compared intraindividually in 12 postmenopausal women. An amount of 800 mg of calcium as lactogluconate/carbonate or citrate was given in random order respectively. Each test dose was labelled with stable ⁴⁴Ca. At the same time a tracer dose of ⁴²Ca was injected intravenously. The amount of calcium absorbed was derived from the ratio of the stable tracers in blood serum and urine 24 hours after administration. Mean bioavailability of the calcium citrate preparation was higher (30%) than from the calcium lactogluconate/carbonate preparation (25%).     

Determination of 13C Enrichment by Conventional GC-MS and GC-(MS)-C-IRMS

Abstract

Isotopic enrichment of branched-chain L-amino acids (BCAA) and branched-chain 2-oxo acids (BCOA) in standard preparations and in human plasma samples withdrawn after oral loads with 1-¹³C labelled BCAA were measured on a conventional GC-MS system and an on-line GC-C-IRMS employing O-TMS quinoxalinol derivatives. It was concluded that the recently introduced GC-C-IRMS, owing to its high sensitivity, is the adequate analytical tool when tracer doses of stable isotope labelled compounds of low enrichment are to be used in biomedical in vivo studies.     

Analytical techniques in biomedical stable isotope applications: (isotope ratio) mass spectrometry or infrared spectrometry?

An overview is presented of biomedical applications of stable isotopes in general, but mainly focused on the activities of the Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases of the University Medical Center Groningen. The aims of metabolic studies in the areas of glucose, fat, cholesterol and protein metabolism are briefly explained, as well as the principle of breath testing and the techniques to study body composition and energy expenditure. Much attention is paid to the analytical considerations based upon metabolite concentrations, sample size restrictions, the availability of stable isotope labelled substrates and dose requirements in relation to compound-specific isotope analysis. The instrumental advantages and limitations of the generally used techniques gas chromatography/reaction/isotope ratio mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry are described as well as the novelties of the recently commercialised liquid chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The present use and future perspective of infrared (IR) spectrometry for clinical and biomedical stable isotope applications are reviewed. In this respect, the analytical demands on IR spectrometry are discussed to enable replacement of isotope ratio mass spectrometry by IR spectrometry, in particular, for the purpose of compound-specific isotope ratio analysis in biological matrices.     

Analytics/Methods

An overview is presented of biomedical applications of stable isotopes in general, but mainly focused on the activities of the Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases of the University Medical Center Groningen. The aims of metabolic studies in the areas of glucose, fat, cholesterol and protein metabolism are briefly explained, as well as the principle of breath testing and the techniques to study body composition and energy expenditure. Much attention is paid to the analytical considerations based upon metabolite concentrations, sample size restrictions, the availability of stable isotope labelled substrates and dose requirements in relation to compound-specific isotope analysis. The instrumental advantages and limitations of the generally used techniques gas chromatography/reaction/isotope ratio mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry are described as well as the novelties of the recently commercialised liquid chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The present use and future perspective of infrared (IR) spectrometry for clinical and biomedical stable isotope applications are reviewed. In this respect, the analytical demands on IR spectrometry are discussed to enable replacement of isotope ratio mass spectrometry by IR spectrometry, in particular, for the purpose of compound-specific isotope ratio analysis in biological matrices.     

An isotope effect in electrolytic hydrogen absorption of some transition metals studied by ERDA and SIMS techniques

The depth profiles of protium and deuterium which were charged electrolytically, were measured by elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) techniques in order to study the isotope effect in hydrogen absorption of Ti, Zr, Nb, Ni and Pd. The absolute loading ratios of H(D)/metal were calculated from the ERDA spectra and the depth profiles of SIMS were compared with the results of the ERDA. The isotope absorption ratios are estimated to be (D/H)_Ti=0.43, (D/H)_Zr=0.53, (D/H)_Nb=0.17 and (D/H)_Pd=0.10. The content in Ni is below the detection limit. The mass balance equations based on the transport–absorption model, were applied to analysis of the experimental results. This model reveals that the isotope absorption ratios for the Nb and Pd cases are governed mainly by the flux of hydrogen ions flowing to the surface of the metal electrode. However, the competition between the absorption–conversion process and the recombination process mainly determine the isotope ratio for the Ti and Zr cases.     

Stable isotope terminology

In order to achieve better mutual understanding, a uniform and unambiguous language concerning certain terms, symbols, units, and nomenclature in stable isotope - especially in (15)N tracer technique has been recommended. In particular, some definitions of fundamental terms, some nomenclature rules for stable isotopically labelled compounds and some symbols and units in the formula language of isotope stoichiometry are given. Recent fundamental recommendations of the IUPAC have been accepted as a basis, to which, if necessary, specialities of stable isotope chemistry, especially (15)N application are added or adapted.     

Stable isotope terminology

In order to achieve better mutual understanding, a uniform and unambiguous language concerning certain terms, symbols, units, and nomenclature in stable isotope – especially in ¹⁵N tracer technique has been recommended. In particular, some definitions of fundamental terms, some nomenclature rules for stable isotopically labelled compounds and some symbols and units in the formula language of isotope stoichiometry are given. Recent fundamental recommendations of the IUPAC have been accepted as a basis, to which, if necessary, specialities of stable isotope chemistry, especially ¹⁵N application are added or adapted.     

光谱分析方法在同位素检测中的研究和应用进展

同位素在核工业为主的各种工业生产中受到广泛的关注,并推动着地质学、材料科学、化学等相关学科的发展。近年来,基于光谱分析原理的同位素分析方法的开发逐渐受到关注。虽然多接收杯电感耦合等离子体质谱（MC-ICP-MS）、热电离质谱（TIMS）和气体同位素质谱（IRMS）等质谱技术是同位素分析的标准方法,但是这些质谱方法通常需要复杂的样品前处理流程以及频繁的仪器维护。光谱分析方法在这些方面有着自身独特优势,甚至可以满足现场实时快速的同位素分析,并在核工业同位素分析和传统稳定同位素分析领域已经取得了日益广泛的应用。随着光谱仪器关键部件和数据处理方法的进一步发展,极大地改善了光谱法同位素分析的性能（灵敏度、分辨率和精密度）,使光谱分析方法被逐渐开发并应用于环境和地质同位素分析领域。综述了光谱分析方法在同位素分析（定量或定性）领域的主要进展,从光谱分析原理的角度归类为发射光谱（原子发射、分子发射、拉曼光谱）和吸收光谱（原子吸收、分子吸收）两大类。着重讨论了光谱法进行同位素分析的基本原理、发展历程以及重要进展,简述了与质谱法相比的优缺点。针对仍然有待突破的技术难点,展望了光谱法应用于同位素分析的发展前景。该综述可为光谱分析方法在同位素检测中的发展方向提供重要参考。     

Routine analysis by high precision gas chromatography/mass selective detector/isotope ratio mass spectrometry to 0.1 parts per mil

Stable isotope methods are potentially quite useful for validating natural or enhanced mineral degradation of contaminants. For this reason, a continuous flow gas chromatograph (GC), isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) has been coupled with a quadrupole mass selective detector (MSD) to allow simultaneous mass spectral and stable carbon isotope ratio data to be obtained from a single chromatographic analysis. This allows the target contaminant and any extra-cellular degradation intermediates to be both qualified and quantified. Previously acceptable limits of precision (0.3 parts per mil) are undesirable given the small fractionation observed during aerobic degradation. To further understand the fate of organic contaminants and to gain information about the metabolic degradative pathway employed by a microorganism, routine isotopic analyses on a range of analytes have been performed. Quantities of sample producing mass-44 ion beam signal (I(44)) of 2 x 10(-10) to 1 x 10(-8) A were analysed. When the IRMS was tuned for high sensitivity, ion source nonlinearities were overcome by peak height correction from an algorithm that was produced using known isotopic standards of varying concentrations. This led to sample accuracy of <0.01 per thousand and sample precision of 0.1 per thousand. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

光腔衰荡光谱技术测定大气水汽稳定同位素校正方法研究

几乎所有小的气相分子（如H₂O,CO₂等）均具有独特的近红外吸收光谱,在负压条件下,每种微小的气相分子都拥有一对一的特征光谱线,基于这一原理人们开始使用激光光谱（IRIS）技术来准确分析气体样品中的同位素组成。该方法克服了传统同位素比质谱（isotope ratio mass spectrometry, IRMS）方法的局限性,已经成为公认的高精度、高灵敏度和高准确度的痕量气体检测方法。以大气水汽稳定同位素研究为例,大气水汽稳定同位素组成对水汽源区及其通道上的输送过程等水循环研究有着重要的指示意义。激光光谱技术使得大气水汽氢氧稳定同位素（δ18O和δD）野外原位连续高分辨率观测成为可能。但是,其观测精度和准确度受仪器运作特点、不同浓度大气水汽对特定光谱吸收性的敏感性差异等因素的影响,通常观测结果具有明显的非线性响应问题。因此,有必要对仪器观测过程中出现的各种偏差进行校正,但现阶段许多用户对新观测技术的国际校正方法尚不清楚。因此,基于波长扫描-光腔衰荡光谱（WS-CRDS）技术的大气水汽同位素观测系统（Picarro L2120-i）,通过可调谐二极管激光器（Tunable Diode Laser, TDL）发射可被待测气体分子所吸收的不同波长的激光,测量不同波长下的衰荡时间（即有样品吸收的衰荡时间）;TDL发射不能被待测气体吸收的不同波长的激光,测量每个波长下的衰荡时间（相当于无样品吸收的衰荡时间）。通过分析有无样品吸收的衰荡时间差,高精度计算待测气体的分子浓度,进而计算水汽稳定同位素组成。从记忆效应、漂移效应、浓度效应等方面,系统建立了一套准确可靠的大气水汽稳定同位素观测流程与校正方法,为正在使用或将要使用此类设备的研究人员提供参考,以获得高精度和高可靠性的大气水汽稳定同位素观测数据。     

A diffusion-controlled mullite formation reaction model based on tracer diffusivity data for aluminium,silicon and oxygen

This paper compiles all the data from our tracer diffusivity studies in single crystalline 2/1-mullite. As tracers we used the rare stable isotopes ¹⁸O and ³⁰Si and the artificial pseudo-stable isotope ²⁶Al. Secondary-ion mass spectrometry was applied to analyze the depth distribution of the tracer isotopes after the diffusion annealing. An essential result of our tracer diffusivity studies was the very low diffusivity of ³⁰Si compared to the diffusivities of ²⁶Al and ¹⁸O, which are almost equal. Based on this observation, we propose a reaction model for the diffusion-controlled formation of mullite in the solid state, which assumes that the growth kinetics of a mullite layer is mainly controlled by the diffusion of aluminium ions and oxygen ions.     

Accuracy and precision of a laser-spectroscopy approach to the analysis of δ²H and δ¹⁸O in human urine

The isotope ratio analysis of body water often involves large sample numbers and lengthy sample processing. Here we demonstrate the ability of isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy (IRIS) to rapidly and accurately analyse the isotope ratios of water in urine. We analysed water extracted from human urine using traditional isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and compared those values with IRIS-analysed extracted water and un-extracted urine. Regression analyses for δ2H and δ1?O values between (1) extracted water analysed via IRMS and IRIS and (2) urine and extracted water analysed via IRIS were significant (R2=0.99). These results indicate that cryogenic distillation of urine was not required for an accurate estimate of the isotopic composition of urine when using IRIS.     

Breath water-based doubly labelled water method for the noninvasive determination of CO2 production and energy expenditure in mice

ABSTRACT

We explored a novel doubly labelled water (DLW) method based on breath water (BW-DLW) in mice to determine whole body CO₂ production and energy expenditure noninvasively. The BW-DLW method was compared to the DLW based on blood plasma. Mice (n?=?11, 43.5?±?4.6?g body mass (BM)) were administered orally a single bolus of doubly labelled water (1.2?g H₂¹⁸O kg BM^?1 and 0.4?g ²H₂O kg BM^?1, 99 atom% (AP) ¹⁸O or ²H). To sample breath water, the mice were placed into a respiration vessel. The exhaled water vapour was condensed in a cold-trap. The isotope enrichments of breath water were compared with plasma samples. The ²H/¹H and ¹⁸O/¹⁶O isotope ratios were measured by means of isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The CO₂ production (RCO₂) was calculated from the ²H and ¹⁸O enrichments in breath water and plasma over 5 days. The isotope enrichments of breath water vs. plasma were correlated (R²?=?0.89 for ²H and 0.95 for ¹⁸O) linearly. The RCO₂ determined based on breath water and plasma was not different (113.2?±?12.7 vs. 111.4?±?11.0?mmol?d^–1), respectively. In conclusion, the novel BW-DLW method is appropriate to obtain reliable estimates of RCO₂ avoiding blood sampling.     

Direct equilibration of soil water for delta(18)O analysis and its application to tracer studies

Current methods for stable oxygen isotopic (delta (18)O) analysis of soil water rely on separation of water from the soil matrix before analysis. These separation procedures are not only time consuming and require relatively large samples of soil, but also have been shown to introduce a large potential source of error. Current research at Queen's University Belfast is focused on using direct equilibration of CO(2) with the pore water to eliminate this extraction step using the automated Multiprep system and a Micromass Prism III isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). The findings of this research indicate the method is less time consuming, more reliable, and reproducible to within accepted limits (+/-0.1% per thousand delta (18)O). In this study the direct equilibration method is used to analyse delta (18)O tracer profiles in the unsaturated zone of field soils, concurrently with chloride tracer profiles, which can be used to assess infiltration rates and mechanisms through the unsaturated zone. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.