Original ArticlesEffect of age on the breath methylated alkane contour, a display of apparent new markers of oxidative stress☆,☆☆
Section snippets
Collection of breath and air samples
VOCs in breath and room air were collected with a breath collection apparatus, a portable microprocessor-controlled device. Each subject wore a nose clip while inspiring and expiring through a low-resistance disposable mouthpiece into a wide-bore breath reservoir (1.0-inch diameter) open to the atmosphere at its distal end. The breath reservoir was heated to prevent condensation. Alveolar breath was pumped from the breath reservoir through a sorbent trap where the breath VOCs were captured on
Results
Seventy-three different C4 to C20 alkanes and monomethylated alkanes were observed at least once in the breath samples. Subjects, in groups of 25 or 26, were assigned to four quartiles according to their age, ranging from the first quartile (the youngest quarter of the population) to the fourth quartile (the oldest quarter of the population). Breath data were pooled from subjects in each quartile to determine their mean alveolar gradients of alkanes and monomethylated alkanes. These values were
Discussion
Our study demonstrated three main findings: (1) normal human breath contains a greater number of alkanes and monomethylated alkanes than previously reported; (2) the alveolar gradients of several of these VOCs were significantly more positive in older than in younger normal human beings; (3) the combined mean alveolar gradient of all VOCs in the BMAC significantly increased with age, from negative in the youngest to positive in the oldest.
To interpret these findings, two separate issues need to
Acknowledgements
We thank Donald A Brand, PhD, and Eugene Sersen, PhD, for their assistance in the preparation of this report.
References (30)
- et al.
Life-span of Drosophila melanogaster in highly oxygenated atmospheres
Mech Ageing Dev
(1994) - et al.
Shortening of the in vitro lifespan of human diploid fibroblasts exposed to hyperbaric oxygen
Exp Gerontol
(1983) - et al.
Noninvasive measures of oxidative stress status in humans
Free Radic Biol Med
(1991) - et al.
High breath pentane concentrations during acute myocardial infarction [comments]
Lancet
(1991) - et al.
Exhaled pentane levels in acute asthma
Chest
(1997) - et al.
Variation in volatile organic compounds in the breath of normal humans
J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl
(1999) - et al.
Volatile organic compounds in breath as markers of lung cancer: a cross-sectional study [comments]
Lancet
(1999) Method for the collection and assay of volatile organic compounds in breath
Anal Biochem
(1997)- et al.
Pulmonary pentane excretion increases with age in healthy subjects
Mech Ageing Dev
(1993) - et al.
Age-related changes in lipid peroxidation as measured by ethane, ethylene, butane and pentane in respired gases of rats
Life Sci
(1980)
Effect of age and ambient temperature on n-pentane production in adult housefly, Musca domestica
Mech Ageing Dev
Structural and functional changes in proteins induced by free radical–mediated oxidative stress and protective action of the antioxidants N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone and vitamin E
Ann NY Acad Sci
Oxidative stress: the paradox of aerobic life
Biochem Soc Symp
Free radicals: their history and current status in aging and disease
Ann Clin Lab Sci
Extension of Drosophila lifespan by overexpression of human SOD1 in motorneurons
Nat Genet
Cited by (134)
Application of metal-organic frameworks for sensing of VOCs and other volatile biomarkers
2024, Coordination Chemistry ReviewsPutative volatile biomarkers of bovine tuberculosis infection in breath, skin and feces of cattle
2023, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
- ☆
Supported by National Institutes of Health Grant 1R41 RRHL13233-01.
- ☆☆
Reprint requests: Michael Phillips MD, FACP, Menssana Research Inc, 1 Horizon Rd, Suite 1415, Fort Lee, NJ 07024.