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Formate metabolism in the folate‐deficient rat
Author(s) -
Morrow G. P.,
Lamarre S. G.,
Brosnan M. E.,
Brosnan J. T.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.1020.1
Subject(s) - formate , chemistry , catabolism , metabolism , formic acid , glycine , biochemistry , amino acid , medicine , endocrinology , biology , catalysis
Formate may arise from amino acid metabolism (serine, glycine, histidine, tryptophan, and methionine), from demethylation reactions, and methanol catabolism. Plasma [formate] is approximately 50 μM in rats. We have shown that plasma and urinary formate are increased up to 6‐fold in either folate‐deficient or Vitamin B12‐deficient rats, and may be a useful marker for remethylation defects. We therefore determined formate production rates in folate‐deficient and control rats. Rats were fed a folate‐deficient diet for 18 days; controls received a folate‐replete diet. Formate appearance was determined by means of a constant infusion of NaH13CO2. Plateau isotopic enrichment in formate was determined via GC‐MS. The rate of formate production in folate‐deficient rats was 43±4 umol/hr/100g compared to 76±16 umol/hr/100g for control rats (P<0.001). This decreased rate of formate production in the face of elevated [formate] implies an appreciable impairment in formate removal. In control rats, formate production amounted to 40% of the total potential one‐carbon groups generated from the diet. We conclude that formate production is a major, though unrecognized, motif in amino acid catabolism. Grant Funding Source : Canadian Institutes for Health Research and Memorial University of Newfoundland