Disease relevance of SILICIC ACID

• The in vitro effects of orthosilicic acid (0-50 microM) on collagen type 1 synthesis was investigated using the human osteosarcoma cell line (MG-63), primary osteoblast-like cells derived from human bone marrow stromal cells, and an immortalized human early osteoblastic cell line (HCC1) [1].
• Either way, orthosilicic acid clearly prevents the in vivo toxicity of Al(III) rather than reducing its uptake [2].
• The polymerization of silica in water solution to form quartz fibers proceeds by a dehydration process, analogous to condensation polymerization in organic high-polymers, in which monomeric Si(OH)4 groups unite through Si--O--Si bonds with the elimination of H2O [3].

High impact information on SILICIC ACID

• The synthetic peptide derived from the repetitive sequences was able to polymerize orthosilicic acid to insoluble silica, a property not resulting directly from the primary protein sequence, but rather from the high positive charge density [4].
• Choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid ("ch-OSA") is a bioavailable form of silicon which was found to increase the hydroxyproline concentration in the dermis of animals [5].
• Dietary Si, as soluble orthosilicic acid (OSA), may be important for the growth and development of bone and connective tissue [6].
• As functional endpoints, fluxes of nutrients (NO3-, NH4+, HPO4(2-), Si(OH)4) and protein synthesis ([14C]leucine incorporation) were used, whereas molecular fingerprinting methods (polymerase chain reaction/denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) were used to describe the bacterial community structure [7].
• Aluminium accumulation by the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis is correlated with behavioural depression which is ameliorated by addition of orthosilicic acid [8].

Biological context of SILICIC ACID

• Here we report on the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of Si in healthy volunteers following ingestion of orthosilicic acid (27-55 mg/l Si) in water [9].
• The bioavailability of silicon in stabilized orthosilicic acid was investigated in a double blind, placebo controlled supplementation study of calves maintained on a normal diet [10].
• The polymer [AlO4Al12(OH)23(H2O)12]7+-O-Si(OH)3 was prepared by forced hydrolysis of Al3+ up to an OH/Al molar ratio of 2.0 in the presence of monomeric orthosilicic acid [11].

Anatomical context of SILICIC ACID

• Collagen type 1 synthesis increased in all treated cells at orthosilicic acid concentrations of 10 and 20 microM, although the effects were more marked in the clonal cell lines (MG-63, HCCl 1.75- and 1.8-fold, respectively, P < 0.001, compared to 1.45-fold in the primary cell lines) [1].
• These results suggest that orthosilicic acid is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract of man and then readily excreted in urine [9].

References