Copper Content in Lumbar Vertebrae across Age Groups

Abstract

Copper, an essential trace element in bone tissue, plays a crucial role in the active centers of vital enzymes. It is involved in the synthesis of key connective tissue proteins like collagen and elastin, which form the structural matrix of bones and cartilage. This research aims to investigate the copper content in human lumbar vertebrae and explore how it changes with age, with a particular focus on gender differences. The study involved the analysis of the third lumbar vertebrae from 211 individuals spanning ages 0 to 90 years. Copper content was determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer C-115M1 (PA “Electron,” Ukraine), while the organic component of bone tissue was calculated using the weighing method. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and independent samples t-tests. The results revealed that copper levels in the spongy bone of human lumbar vertebrae ranged from 2.45 to 6.12 mg/kg dw, and the organic component of bone tissue varied from 6.5% to 49.6%. The statistical analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between the organic component and copper content in the spongy bone tissue for both males (r=0.5195, p<0.01, n=106) and females (r=0.6101, p<0.01, n=105). Our study demonstrated that bone copper levels decrease with age, irrespective of gender. A strong positive correlation was observed between bone copper and organic content in the spongy bone of human lumbar vertebrae.