Abstract
Background/Objectives: The content of C-13 and N-15 isotopes is higher in marine than in terrestrial food. C-13 and N-15 in human tissue therefore reflects the relative proportions of marine and terrestrial food consumed by the individual. The objective of this study was to measure C-13 and N-15 in liver tissue from Greenlandic Inuit and Danes. Subjects/Methods: Normal liver tissue was obtained at autopsy in 1992-1994 from 60 Inuit with a median age of 61 years (range 25-83) and in 1986 from 15 ethnic Danes with a median age of 84 years (range 66-93). By sieving, liver tissue was separated in a 'cellular fraction' and a 'connective tissue fraction'. C-13 and N-15 in dry liver tissue was measured on a mass spectrometer. delta C-13 indicates the C-13 content relative to the IAEA-CH-6 reference standard. delta N-15 indicates N-15 content relative to the atmospheric nitrogen reference standard. Results: Inuit: median delta C-13 was -21.2 parts per thousand in cellular and -20.0 parts per thousand in connective tissue fractions (P = 001). Median delta N-15 was 10.6 parts per thousand in both cellular and connective tissue fractions. Body mass index was negatively correlated with delta C-13 in the connective tissue fraction (r(s) = -0.42, P = 0.057). Danes: median delta C-13 was -27.0% in cellular and -24.3% in connective tissue fractions (P = 0.11). Median delta N-15 was 9.5 parts per thousand in cellular and 8.9 parts per thousand in connective tissue fractions (P = 0.5). Inuit had higher delta C-13 than Danes in both cellular and connective tissue fractions (P
Original language | English |
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Journal | European Journal of Clinical Nutrition |
Volume | 64 |
Issue number | 7 |
Pages (from-to) | 739-744 |
ISSN | 0954-3007 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2010 |
Keywords
- Greenland
- Eskimos
- mass spectrometry
- (13)carbon
- liver
- Inuit
- Denmark
- (15)nitrogen