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Measurement of natural carbon isotopic composition of acetone in human urine

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Abstract

The natural carbon isotopic composition of acetone in urine was measured in healthy subjects using gas chromatography–combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry combined with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME–GC–C–IRMS). Before applying the technique to a urine sample, we optimized the measurement conditions of HS-SPME–GC–C–IRMS using aqueous solutions of commercial acetone reagents. The optimization enabled us to determine the carbon isotopic compositions within ±0.2 ‰ of precision and ±0.3‰ of error using 0.05 or 0.2 mL of aqueous solutions with acetone concentrations of 0.3–121 mg/L. For several days, we monitored the carbon isotopic compositions and concentrations of acetone in urine from three subjects who lived a daily life with no restrictions. We also monitored one subject for 3 days including a fasting period of 24 h. These results suggest that changes in the availability of glucose in the liver are reflected in changes in the carbon isotopic compositions of urine acetone. Results demonstrate that carbon isotopic measurement of metabolites in human biological samples at natural abundance levels has great potential as a tool for detecting metabolic changes caused by changes in physiological states and disease.

The natural carbon isotopic composition of acetone in urine can be determined using HS-SPME-GCC-IRMS and can provide information on changes in the availability of glucose in the liver.

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Acknowledgments

K.Y., A.G., and N.Y. thank the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) (23224013), MEXT, Japan, for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8503, Japan

    Keita Yamada, Kazuki Ohishi, Mai Akasaka & Naohiro Yoshida

  2. Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan

    Alexis Gilbert & Naohiro Yoshida

  3. NTT Device Innovation Center, NTT Corporation, 3-1, Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0198, Japan

    Ryoko Yoshimura

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  1. Keita Yamada
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  2. Kazuki Ohishi
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Correspondence to Keita Yamada.

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Yamada, K., Ohishi, K., Gilbert, A. et al. Measurement of natural carbon isotopic composition of acetone in human urine. Anal Bioanal Chem 408, 1597–1607 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-9268-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-9268-z

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