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Lactate clamp: a method to measure lactate utilization in vivo
J Gao1, M A Islam, C M Brennan
1Diabetes Pharmacology Unit, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Summit, New Jersey 07901, USA.
The American Journal of Physiology
|October 1, 1998
Summary
A new lactate clamp method accurately measures whole-body lactate utilization in rats. Dichloroacetate (DCA) significantly enhanced lactate utilization, demonstrating the method
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Metabolic Research
Background:
- Quantifying whole-body lactate utilization is crucial for understanding metabolic processes.
- Existing methods may not fully capture dynamic lactate flux in vivo.
- Dichloroacetate (DCA) is known to enhance lactate metabolism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel lactate clamp technique for assessing whole-body lactate utilization in conscious rats.
- To determine the effect of Dichloroacetate (DCA) on in vivo lactate utilization.
Main Methods:
- A primed continuous lactate infusion method was employed to maintain a constant blood lactate concentration (2 mM) in rats.
- Lactate infusion rates required to achieve the target concentration were measured over 90 minutes.
- Endogenous lactate production was assessed to differentiate between utilization and production changes.
Main Results:
- The lactate clamp method demonstrated a 144% higher steady-state lactate infusion rate in DCA-treated rats compared to controls.
- This increased infusion rate signifies significantly enhanced whole-body lactate utilization by DCA.
- DCA administration did not alter endogenous lactate production levels.
Conclusions:
- The lactate clamp technique provides a sensitive and reliable in vivo assessment of whole-body lactate utilization.
- This method offers a dynamic measurement superior to relying solely on blood lactate concentrations.
- DCA enhances lactate flux without affecting its endogenous production.