Exhalation pattern changes during fasting and low dose glucose treatment in rats

Abstract

The analysis of exhaled metabolites has become a promising field of research in recent decades. Several volatile organic compounds reflecting metabolic disturbance and nutrition status have even been reported. These are particularly important for long-term measurements, as needed in medical research for detection of disease progression and therapeutic efficacy. In this context, it has become urgent to investigate the effect of fasting and glucose treatment for breath analysis. In the present study, we used a model of ventilated rats that fasted for 12h prior to the experiment. Ten rats per group were randomly assigned for continuous intravenous infusion without glucose or an infusion including 25mg glucose per 100g per hour during an observation period of 12h. Exhaled gas was analysed using multicapillary column ion-mobility spectrometry. Analytes were identified by the BS-MCC/IMS database (version 1209; B & S Analytik, Dortmund, Germany). Glucose infusion led to a significant increase in blood glucose levels (p < 0.05 at 4h and thereafter) and cardiac output (p < 0.05 at 4h and thereafter). During the observation period, 39 peaks were found collectively. There were significant differences between groups in the concentration of ten volatile organic compounds: p < 0.001 at 4h and thereafter for isoprene, cyclohexanone, acetone, p-cymol, 2-hexanone, phenylacetylene, and one unknown compound, and p < 0.001 at 8h and thereafter for 1-pentanol, 1-propanol, and 2-heptanol. Our results indicate that for long-term measurement, fasting and the withholding of glucose could contribute to changes of volatile metabolites in exhaled air.