Measuring gluconeogenesis using a low dose of2H2O: advantage of isotope fractionation during gas chromatography

Abstract

The contribution of gluconeogenesis to glucose production can be measured by enriching body water with2H2O to ∼0.5% 2H and determining the ratio of 2H that is bound to carbon-5 vs. carbon-2 of blood glucose. This labeling ratio can be measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after the corresponding glucose carbons are converted to formaldehyde and then to hexamethylenetetramine (HMT). We present a technique for integrating ion chromatograms that allows one to use only 0.05% 2H in body water (i.e., 10 times less than the current dose). This technique takes advantage of the difference in gas chromatographic retention times of naturally labeled HMT and [2H]HMT. We discuss the advantage(s) of using a low dose of 2H2O to quantify the contribution of gluconeogenesis.