Absorption and elimination of formate following oral administration of calcium formate in female human subjects

Final publisher version is available online openly at: http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/33/2/282.full.pdf. Author accepted manuscript is available in compliance with NIH requirements at, http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2004/11/16/dmd.104.001289. Abstract is posted in fulfillment of the KU faculty's Open Access policy.Published abstract: Calcium formate is a water-soluble salt of an essential mineral nutrient with potential for use as a dietary calcium supplement. Formate ion is a product of endogenous and xenobiotic metabolism, but sustained high plasma formate concentrations (such as occur in cases of methanol poisoning) are toxic to the retina and optic nerve. Humans and primates have reduced capacity for formate oxidation compared with rodents and dogs and are thus more sensitive to methanol (and formate) intoxication. To assess the potential for accumulation of formate ion upon repeated administration of calcium formate as a potential dietary calcium supplement, we measured plasma concentrations of formate in 14 adult human subjects before and after oral administration of a single large dose of calcium formate (3900 mg; ca. 3–6 times the anticipated dose for calcium supplementation). Plasma formate concentrations increased briskly from 0.024 ± 0.008 mM (endogenous formate) to reach Cmax (0.50 ± 0.04 mM) at 60 min postdose and then declined with a half-life of 59 ± 7 min. By 225 min postdose, plasma formate concentration had returned to baseline. With such a short half-life, repeated use of calcium formate as a dietary supplement, even three times daily, should not lead to progressive accumulation of formate. These findings are discussed in light of the production of formate by endogenous and xenobiotic metabolism and the kinetics of formate during methanol poisoning

KATP Channel Openers Have Opposite Effects on Mitochondrial Respiration Under Different Energetic Conditions

Mitochondrial (m) KATP channel opening has been implicated in triggering cardiac preconditioning. Its consequence on mitochondrial respiration, however, remains unclear. We investigated the effects of two different KATP channel openers and antagonists on mitochondrial respiration under two different energetic conditions. Oxygen consumption was measured for complex I (pyruvate/malate) or complex II (succinate with rotenone) substrates in mitochondria from fresh guinea pig hearts. One of two mKATP channel openers, pinacidil or diazoxide, was given before adenosine diphosphate in the absence or presence of an mKATP channel antagonist, glibenclamide or 5-hydroxydecanoate. Without ATP synthase inhibition, both mKATP channel openers differentially attenuated mitochondrial respiration. Neither mKATP channel antagonist abolished these effects. When ATP synthase was inhibited by oligomycin to decrease [ATP], both mKATP channel openers accelerated respiration for both substrate groups. This was abolished by mKATP channel blockade. Thus, under energetically more physiological conditions, the main effect of mKATP channel openers on mitochondrial respiration is differential inhibition independent of mKATP channel opening. In contrast, under energetically less physiological conditions, mKATP channel opening can be evidenced by accelerated respiration and blockade by antagonists. Therefore, the effects of mKATP channel openers on mitochondrial function likely depend on the experimental conditions and the cell\u27s underlying energetic state

Amelioration of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in C57BL/6 Mice by Photobiomodulation Induced by 670 nm Light

The approved immunomodulatory agents for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) are only partially effective. It is thought that the combination of immunomodulatory and neuroprotective strategies is necessary to prevent or reverse disease progression. Irradiation with far red/near infrared light, termed photobiomodulation, is a therapeutic approach for inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Data suggests that near-infrared light functions through neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. We sought to investigate the clinical effect of photobiomodulation in the Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of multiple sclerosis.The clinical effect of photobiomodulation induced by 670 nm light was investigated in the C57BL/6 mouse model of EAE. Disease was induced with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) according to standard laboratory protocol. Mice received 670 nm light or no light treatment (sham) administered as suppression and treatment protocols. 670 nm light reduced disease severity with both protocols compared to sham treated mice. Disease amelioration was associated with down-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines (interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α) and up-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) in vitro and in vivo.These studies document the therapeutic potential of photobiomodulation with 670 nm light in the EAE model, in part through modulation of the immune response

Ocular and Systemic Safety Evaluation of Calcium Formate as a Dietary Supplement

Purpose: The objective of this study was to perform a preliminary evaluation of the ocular and systemic safety of calcium formate, a dietary calcium supplement for prevention and management of osteoporosis. Although formate is an endogenous product of metabolism, high concentrations are associated with toxicity during methanol overdose. Methods: In this prospective clinical trial, 12 healthy women ingested calcium formate (1,300 mg) three times a day for 14 days. Study evaluations included physical and ocular examination, extensive laboratory testing, serum calcium and formate levels, Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity, color vision, visual fields, visual evoked potential (VEP), and full-field, pattern, and multifocal electroretinograms (MERG). Results: The mean baseline serum level of formate was 0.572 ± 0.06 mM. Peak serum levels and final serum formate did not differ significantly from baseline. The final concentration was 0.582 ± 0.091 mM. Accumulation of serum formate did not occur. There was also no evidence of toxicity with calcium formate ingestion. All examinations and tests remained normal, including optic nerve and retinal function. Three subjects had mild transient symptoms attributable to any calcium formulation. Conclusions: Calcium formate is highly bioavailable and well-tolerated. Serum formate remained at basal levels and did not accumulate with repeated dosing. Systemic and ocular safety was demonstrated by objective testing. Given its high oral bioavailability, calcium formate may be a good choice for calcium supplementation in the prevention and management of osteoporosis. Further study will be needed to evaluate its long-term safety in a larger group of subjects representing more varied age, health, dietary, and nutritional status

Acquired Resilience: An Evolved System of Tissue Protection in Mammals.

This review brings together observations on the stress-induced regulation of resilience mechanisms in body tissues. It is argued that the stresses that induce tissue resilience in mammals arise from everyday sources: sunlight, food, lack of food, hypoxia and physical stresses. At low levels, these stresses induce an organised protective response in probably all tissues; and, at some higher level, cause tissue destruction. This pattern of response to stress is well known to toxicologists, who have termed it hormesis. The phenotypes of resilience are diverse and reports of stress-induced resilience are to be found in journals of neuroscience, sports medicine, cancer, healthy ageing, dementia, parkinsonism, ophthalmology and more. This diversity makes the proposing of a general concept of induced resilience a significant task, which this review attempts. We suggest that a system of stress-induced tissue resilience has evolved to enhance the survival of animals. By analogy with acquired immunity, we term this system \u27acquired resilience\u27. Evidence is reviewed that acquired resilience, like acquired immunity, fades with age. This fading is, we suggest, a major component of ageing. Understanding of acquired resilience may, we argue, open pathways for the maintenance of good health in the later decades of human life

Photobiomodulation preserves mitochondrial redox state and is retinoprotective in a rodent model of retinitis pigmentosa

Photobiomodulation (PBM) by far-red (FR) to near-infrared (NIR) light has been demonstrated to restore the function of damaged mitochondria, increase the production of cytoprotective factors and prevent cell death. Our laboratory has shown that FR PBM improves functional and structural outcomes in animal models of retinal injury and retinal degenerative disease. The current study tested the hypothesis that a brief course of NIR (830 nm) PBM would preserve mitochondrial metabolic state and attenuate photoreceptor loss in a model of retinitis pigmentosa, the P23H transgenic rat. P23H rat pups were treated with 830 nm light (180 s; 25 mW/cm2; 4.5 J/cm2) using a light-emitting diode array (Quantum Devices, Barneveld, WI) from postnatal day (p) 10 to p25. Sham-treated rats were restrained, but not treated with 830 nm light. Retinal metabolic state, function and morphology were assessed at p30 by measurement of mitochondrial redox (NADH/FAD) state by 3D optical cryo-imaging, electroretinography (ERG), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and histomorphometry. PBM preserved retinal metabolic state, retinal function, and retinal morphology in PBM-treated animals compared to the sham-treated group. PBM protected against the disruption of the oxidation state of the mitochondrial respiratory chain observed in sham-treated animals. Scotopic ERG responses over a range of flash intensities were significantly greater in PBM-treated rats compared to sham controls. SD-OCT studies and histological assessment showed that PBM preserved the structural integrity of the retina. These findings demonstrate for the first time a direct effect of NIR PBM on retinal mitochondrial redox status in a well-established model of retinal disease. They show that chronic proteotoxic stress disrupts retinal bioenergetics resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction, and retinal degeneration and that therapies normalizing mitochondrial metabolism have considerable potential for the treatment of retinal degenerative disease

Clinical and Experimental Applications of NIR-LED Photobiomodulation

This review presents current research on the use of far-red to near-infrared (NIR) light treatment in various in vitro and in vivo models. Low-intensity light therapy, commonly referred to as “photobiomodulation,” uses light in the far-red to near-infrared region of the spectrum (630–1000 nm) and modulates numerous cellular functions. Positive effects of NIR–light-emitting diode (LED) light treatment include acceleration of wound healing, improved recovery from ischemic injury of the heart, and attenuated degeneration of injured optic nerves by improving mitochondrial energy metabolism and production. Various in vitro and in vivo models of mitochondrial dysfunction were treated with a variety of wavelengths of NIR-LED light. These studies were performed to determine the effect of NIR-LED light treatment on physiologic and pathologic processes. NIRLED light treatment stimulates the photoacceptor cytochrome c oxidase, resulting in increased energy metabolism and production. NIR-LED light treatment accelerates wound healing in ischemic rat and murine diabetic wound healing models, attenuates the retinotoxic effects of methanol-derived formic acid in rat models, and attenuates the developmental toxicity of dioxin in chicken embryos. Furthermore, NIR-LED light treatment prevents the development of oral mucositis in pediatric bone marrow transplant patients. The experimental results demonstrate that NIR-LED light treatment stimulates mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in vitro, and accelerates cell and tissue repair in vivo. NIR-LED light represents a novel, noninvasive, therapeutic intervention for the treatment of numerous diseases linked to mitochondrial dysfunction

Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Aging Retina

Mitochondria are central in retinal cell function and survival and they perform functions that are critical to cell function. Retinal neurons have high energy requirements, since large amounts of ATP are needed to generate membrane potentials and power membrane pumps. Mitochondria over the course of aging undergo a number of changes. Aged mitochondria exhibit decreased rates of oxidative phosphorylation, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and increased numbers of mtDNA mutations. Mitochondria in the neural retina and the retinal pigment epithelium are particularly susceptible to oxidative damage with aging. Many age-related retinal diseases, including glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, have been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore, mitochondria are a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of retinal disease

Photobiomodulation induced by 670 nm light ameliorates MOG35-55 induced EAE in female C57BL/6 mice: a role for remediation of nitrosative stress.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the most commonly studied animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive therapies currently approved for the treatment of MS slow disease progression, but do not prevent it. A growing body of evidence suggests additional mechanisms contribute to disease progression. We previously demonstrated the amelioration of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced EAE in C57BL/6 mice by 670 nm light-induced photobiomodulation, mediated in part by immune modulation. Numerous other studies demonstrate that near-infrared/far red light is therapeutically active through modulation of nitrosoxidative stress. As nitric oxide has been reported to play diverse roles in EAE/MS, and recent studies suggest that axonal loss and progression of disability in MS is mediated by nitrosoxidative stress, we investigated the effect of 670 nm light treatment on nitrosative stress in MOG-induced EAE.Cell culture experiments demonstrated that 670 nm light-mediated photobiomodulation attenuated antigen-specific nitric oxide production by heterogenous lymphocyte populations isolated from MOG immunized mice. Experiments in the EAE model demonstrated down-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression in the spinal cords of mice with EAE over the course of disease, compared to sham treated animals. Animals receiving 670 nm light treatment also exhibited up-regulation of the Bcl-2 anti-apoptosis gene, an increased Bcl-2:Bax ratio, and reduced apoptosis within the spinal cord of animals over the course of disease. 670 nm light therapy failed to ameliorate MOG-induced EAE in mice deficient in iNOS, confirming a role for remediation of nitrosative stress in the amelioration of MOG-induced EAE by 670 nm mediated photobiomodulation.These data indicate that 670 nm light therapy protects against nitrosative stress and apoptosis within the central nervous system, contributing to the clinical effect of 670 nm light therapy previously noted in the EAE model