Greenland Expedition CMRC 2004

CMRC Greenland Expedition 2004

During March and April 2004, the Copenhagen Muscle Research Center accomplished a research expedition in the Northwest of Greenland. The overall aim of the project is to elucidate the connection between genes, environment and early appearance of chronic diseases, particularly diabetes 2. Another intention is to throw light on metabolic adaptations in relation to health effects. Part of the project was the evaluation of mitochondrial respiratory parameters measured by high-resolution respirometry in permeabilized muscle fibers. These were prepared from small biopsies of the arm and leg of traditional life-style Inuit hunters, Western life-style Inuits, and a group of 16 Danish participants of the 42-days expedition.

Three units of the OROBOROS O2k were part of the expedition - in the northernmost application of high-resolution respirometry (Thule Air Base; 76.4°N, 68.5°E).

• Overview - A flavour of the project
• Subject 10 - From pre-experiments in Copenhagen to the adventure of the Greenland Expedition
• Gnaiger] (Innsbruck AT) High-resolution respirometry in small biopsies of human muscle: Correlations with body mass index and age. MiP 2005. Pages 14-15.
• Boushel (Montreal CA) Local adaptations in mitochondrial substrate-specific O2 flux capacity with prolonged, low intensity, whole-body endurance training. MiP2005. Page 16.

Gallery

All slides by Erich Gnaiger

Overview

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  Project of the Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre (CMRC), Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark (Prof. Dr. Bengt Saltin). Logo of the CMRC Greenland 2004 Expedition, designed by Crownprince Frederik of Denmark.

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  Rob Boushel and Cindy Writght (Concordia University, Montreal, CA) at the OROBOROS O2k, measuring permeabilized muscle fiber respiration prepared from small needle biopsies.

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  Ergometric bicycle tests at Thule Air Base, Northwest Greenland, March 2004 (Danish participants).

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  Competition of the scientists after late-night experiments in the lab in Thule. From left to right: Jørn W. Helge, Hans Søndergaard, Thor Munch-Andersen (all from the CMRC, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark), and Robert Boushel (Concordia University, Montreal, Canada), March 2004.

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  Back to the Oxygraphs in the lab at Thule Air Base after a walk across North Star Bay and to the middle of Wolstenholme Fjord, at temperatures below -30 °C (March 2004; Erich Gnaiger, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; slide by Robert Boushel).

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  Inuit hunter from Quarnaak with his dog sledge on Wolstenholme Fjord (March 2004).

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  Inuit sledge passing an iceberg on Wolstenholme Fjord (March 2004).

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  Inuit hunter taking care of his dogs at a camp put up on Wolstenholme Fjord (March 2004).

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  Peat iglu of the 1000-year old Inuit settlement Uummannaq (in 1910 given the name Thule by Knud Rassmussen) which had to be abandoned in 1953 besides the US Thule Air Base (constructed in 1951).

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  Danish television in the Thule lab set up for high-resolution respirometry (March 2004).

Subject 10

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  The Danish participants prepare for the CMRC Greenland Expedition 2004 in a training camp. Subject 10 is in the middle. The Danish filmteam (right) is already in place.

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  Søren Bjørn in a maximal aerobic performance test on the ergometer, while blood samples are being taken by Rasmus Damsgaard and Robert Boushel (CMRC, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen; February 2004).

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  Søren in good spirit during preparation for the arm biopsy.

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  The needle biopsy, of which only 2 to 4 mg are required per run in high-resolution respirometry

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  Robert Boushel and Cindy Wright work in parallel on three OROBOROS O2k, to analyze replicate samples of muscle biopsies after preparation of permeabilized fibres (CMRC, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen; February 2004).

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  After the biopsy and strenuous exercise on the ergometer, Søren has a look at the O2k, where at this time his muscle tissue respires under various conditions of the titration protocol. The traces reveal on-line information on mitochondrial respiratory capacities in the muscle tissue.

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  Arrival of the Danish participants at Thule Air Base (Pituffik). Søren (left) is happy to be in Greenland, as he explains to Cindy Wright (centre). We have just returned from a trip with the helicopter to welcome the Inuit hunters arriving in the North Star Bay (Thule) after a 5-days dog sledge trip from Qaanaaq (Thule).

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  In the USAF Hospital Thule Air Base, Søren makes himself familiar with the equipment layed out for the participants at the 42-days expedition.

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  The first steps of Søren on skies with the 40-kg sledge do not yet appear to be professional. The Danish participants have to pull their sledge, while the Inuit hunters accompany the group with the dog sledges (in the back). (Thule Air Base, North Star Bay, March 2004)

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  Skiing on the iscecovered Wolstenholme Fjord, Søren shows his acquired skills and endurance, close to the camp where they will put up their tents next to an iceberg. In the far background, an Inuit hunter with his sledge keeps guard - in case of the appearance of an icebear, his hunting gear is ready.

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  After skiing and pulling his 40-kg sledge, after sleeping in the tent at temperatures between -35 °C and -45 °C, Søren is again ready for a leg biopsy, to be taken by Jaya Rosenmeier (left) and being observed by Danish television (right) (USAF Hospital, Thule Air Base, March 2004).

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  Søren is surprised to find his picture (from the CMRC lab in Copenhagen) on the wall of our lab at Thule Air Base, where high-resolution respirometry reveals changes of his muscle mitochondria.