Bulk δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values of proteinaceous tissues are being increasingly used in bioarchaeological studies to elucidate the physio-pathological status of ancient individuals. This method has not always been successful.

The present study aims to explore the novel use of single amino acid carbon isotope analysis in palaeopathology by investigating the effect of a serious infectious disease, tuberculosis (TB), on the isotope composition of two collagenous tissues (tendon, rib). This is achieved by comparing the bulk and amino acid stable isotope compositions of collagenous tissues collected from human remains with and without TB-like bone lesions. The sample set comprises twelve adult individuals (males = 6, females = 6), who were buried at Pica 8, an inland oasis situated on the mid-elevation plains of northern Chile (Late Intermediate Period, ~1050-500 BP). Similarity and consistency in the diet of these individuals are explored using amino acid carbon isotope analysis of 1-cm hair segments longitudinally cut along a single hair fibre.

The results show that there is a difference between collagen δ¹³C serine values measured in the rib collagen of five individuals presenting TB-like bone lesions (3 males and 2 females) and in those five without lesions (3 males and 2 females; control individuals). The rib collagen δ¹³C serine values of pathological individuals are lower (more negative) than those of the control individuals. Within the group of pathological individuals, lower δ¹³C serine values in rib collagen are correlated with higher (more positive) δ¹⁵N values. Since only individuals (N = 10) with similar dietary intakes were included in the statistical analyses, it appears that the δ¹³C serine values could be linked to altered carbon metabolism, rather than induced by dietary factors. Serine accounts for less than 3% of the total carbon in bone collagen, and thus an altered serine metabolism would be masked within the averaged bulk carbon isotope value. In future studies, it is advised to undertake stable carbon isotope analysis of non-essential amino acids as a means of characterising pathologically altered body tissues.

散装δ ¹⁵ N和δ ^13个蛋白组织的C值在bioarchaeological研究正越来越多地用来阐明古代人的生理病理状态。这种方法并不总是成功的。

本研究旨在通过研究严重传染病结核病（TB）对两种胶原组织（肌腱，肋骨）同位素组成的影响，探索在古病理学中单一氨基酸碳同位素分析的新颖用途。这是通过比较从具有和不具有TB样骨损伤的人体残骸中收集的胶原组织的大部分和氨基酸稳定的同位素组成来实现的。样本集包括十二个成年个体（雄性= 6，雌性= 6），他们被埋葬在Pica 8上，Pica 8是位于智利北部中高平原上的内陆绿洲（晚期中期，〜1050-500 BP）。使用氨基酸碳同位素分析对沿单根头发纤维纵向切割的1厘米长的头发段，探索了这些个体饮食中的相似性和一致性。

结果表明，有胶原之间的差δ ¹³在五个人呈现TB状骨病变（3只雄性和雌性2）的肋胶原条件下测定C丝氨酸值和在这五个无病变（3只雄性和雌性2;控制个人）。肋胶原δ ¹³病理的个体的丝氨酸Ç值较低（更负）比对照个体。在组内的病理的个体，降低δ ¹³在肋胶原Ç丝氨酸值较高（越）是相关的δ ¹⁵的N值。由于只有个人（N = 10）具有类似的膳食摄入量被列入统计分析，似乎的δ ¹³C丝氨酸值可能与碳代谢改变有关，而不是由饮食因素引起。丝氨酸占骨胶原中总碳的不到3％，因此丝氨酸代谢的改变将被掩盖在平均总碳同位素值之内。在未来的研究中，建议对非必需氨基酸进行稳定的碳同位素分析，作为表征病理改变的人体组织的一种方法。