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2 Result(s) for 'Rita R. Ellithorpe'
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1.
Effects of Hydrogenized Water on Intracellular Biomarkers for Antioxidants, Glucose Uptake, Insulin Signaling and SIRT 1 and Telomerase Activity
Robert Settineri, Jin Ji, Chunlan Luo, Rita R. Ellithorpe , Gonzalo Ferreira de Mattos, Steven Rosenblatt, James LaValle, Antonio Jinenez, Shigeo Ohta, Garth L. Nicolson
American Journal of Food and Nutrition. 2016 4 (6). doi: 10.12691/ajfn-4-6-4
Keywords: Hydrogenized water, bioassays, antioxidant, Caco-2 permeability assay, glucose uptake, insulin receptor, SIRT 1, telomerase activity
Context: Hydrogen has been shown in several clinical trials to be completely safe without adverse events and there are no warnings in the literature of its toxicity or adverse effects during long-term exposure. Molecular hydrogen has proven useful and convenient as a novel antioxidant and modifier of gene expression in many conditions where oxidative stress and changes in gene expression result in cellular damage. Our intracellular biomarker studies have shown that a hydrogenized water drink formula containing 2.6 ppm dissolved hydrogen was able to penetrate cellular membranes and function as an antioxidant in human liver cells (HePG2) utilizing the Cellular Antioxidant Assay (CAA). This assay uses the protection of a florescent probe as a marker for cellular damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as peroxyl radical, and compares this to the known antioxidant standard, Quercetin. Using this system oxidative damage was reduced in a dose-dependent manner. One ml of hydrogenized water was found to possess antioxidant capacity equivalent to 0.05 µmole of quercetin. When examined in a human colon cell line (Caco-2 cells), hydrogenized water demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent permeability inhibition of an intracellular fluorescent glucose derivative (2-NBDG), indicating decreased glucose uptake. In another study, the impact of hydrogenized water on Akt phosphorylation (Ser473), a biomarker for insulin signaling, was monitored in human skeletal muscle cells. The hydrogenized water treatment markedly elevated the level of phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473) in a dose-dependent manner. The anti-aging effects of hydrogenized water were examined utilizing SIRT1 expression as a biomarker of aging in human umbilical cells (HUVECs). Hydrogenized water increased dose-dependent SIRT1 gene expression. Hydrogenized water also increased telomerase activity (an anti-aging biomarker in HUVEC cells) up to 148% when cells were treated with media containing 25% hydrogenized water formula. Increased telomerase activity caused by hydrogenized water may be able to protect telomeres from degradation, suggesting the possible use of hydrogenized water in therapeutic interventions of age-related diseases. These studies show that commercial hydrogenized water improved the levels or activities of a few intracellular biomarkers specific for antioxidant activity, glucose uptake, insulin signaling and SIRT 1 and telomerase activities. Industrial Relevance: The molecular hydrogen used in this study indicates that certain commercial sources of hydrogenized water can provide similar antioxidant and gene expression modifications seen in other sources of molecular hydrogen. The biomarkers evaluated here lend well to hydrogenized water’s biological activity relating to health conditions and aging.
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2.
Hydrogenized Water Effects on Protection of Brain Cells from Oxidative Stress and Glutamate Toxicity
Robert Settineri, Jie Zhou, Jin Ji, Rita R. Ellithorpe , Steven Rosenblatt, Antonio Jimenez, Shigeo Ohta, Gonzalo Ferreira, Garth L. Nicolson
American Journal of Food and Nutrition. 2018 6 (1). doi: 10.12691/ajfn-6-1-2
Keywords: hydrogenized water, bioassays, glutathione, oxidative stress, Nrf2, glutamate toxicity
Context: Hydrogenized water is known to have protective effects on cells and tissues, mainly through its antioxidant activities. Here we examined the protective effects of a commercial source of hydrogenized water on cultured human brain cells. Hydrogenized water was able to protect brain cells from oxidative stress and glutamate toxicity. At H2 concentrations above 0.01 mM the glutathione levels increased in cultured brain cells. The level of glutathione rose from approximately 500 to approximately 850 μM at the maximum dose of hydrogenized water with an EC50 of approximately 0.030 mM. Hydrogenized water was also able to enhance the signaling pathway for oxidative stress response mediated by Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2 like factor). Treatment of cells with hydrogenized water at concentrations above 0.01 mM H2 induced activation of Nrf2 (EC50 approximately 0.05 mM). Hydrogenized water was also able to protect brain cells against glutamate toxicity. Using a DNA damage response element, (γH2AX, to monitor the damage of glutamate toxicity we found that concentrations of H2 above 0.01 mM protected cells from glutamate damage with an EC50 of approximately 0.05 mM H2. These in vitro results demonstrated that hydrogenized water can protect brain cells against common types of damage from oxidative stress and glutamate toxicity.
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