ATP and aluminum in calcium overload of heart and brain

Background: The study of radioactive calcium uptake by mice indicates that low molecular mass aluminum complexes induce calcium overload in heart and brain. The efficiency of this process depends on the nature of the ligand. ATP seems to play an important role in this process. The enhanced effects of citrate and aluminum lactate in presence of sodium ATP (2- and 3-fold increase, respectively) support this assumption. Results: The in vitro study of the interaction of aluminum citrate and lactate complexes with sodium ATP indicates and aluminum transfer from citrate (12%) and lactate (65%) to the ATP ligand. Conclusion: The tissular calcium overload induced by aluminum complexes is important to explain the cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity of aluminum, phenomenon that seems implicated in pathological states such as Alzheimer's disease in which that toxicity appears to be an important promoting factor. The experimental fact that similar iron complexes have shown effects similar to those of aluminum, supports the concept of a general involvement of ATP in metal toxicity, and in its related pathologies.