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A study of dose-response relationships of allopurinol in the presence of low or high purine turnover.

Effects of allopurinol (125-500 mg/m2 body surface) were studied in normal subjects during periods of 18 days both during a purine-free, isoenergetic liquid formula diet and additional intake of ribonucleic acid, 4 g/day. Plasma uric acid and renal excretion of uric acid, oxypurines (hypoxanthine plus xanthine) and orotic acid were measured and total purine excretion calculated. Effects of allopurinol were evaluated by comparison of the results obtained in the steady state during diet alone (average of days 7-10) with those during allopurinol administration (days 16-18). During the purine-free diet, plasma uric acid was lowered more than urinary uric acid by allopurinol on doses of 250-500 mg/m2 (44%-54% of control values on 500 mg/m2), demonstrating an increase in renal clearance. At the same dose, the uric acid lowering effect of allopurinol was more pronounced with than without purine loads (plasma 41%, urine 32% of control on 500 mg/m2 during purine intake), while renal uric acid clearance was decreased. The more pronounced reduction of uric acid excretion during purine administration was balanced to the greater part by a more pronounced increase in oxypurine excretion. Total purine excretion was reduced by about 20% during the purine-free diet irrespective of dose. The size of this purine deficit was doubled, but was also independent of dose during addition of purines. Orotic acid excretion increased with dose during allopurinol treatment and was reduced by addition of purines.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Origin of increased deoxycytidine excretion into urine of rats bearing Yoshida ascites sarcoma.

The metabolism of deoxycytidine (dCyd) and dCyd nucleotides in Yoshida ascites sarcoma (YS) cells and the host rat liver was investigated with reference to the increased excretion of urinary dCyd. Incorporation of [14C]orotic acid into the livers of rats at the fifth day after the transplantation of YS cells, the time when the amount of excretion of dCyd in urine was near maximal, was 2 times higher than that into the normal rat livers. After the injection of [14C]orotic acid, the ratio of the specific radioactivity of cytidylate to uridylate moieties of the host liver RNA was measured and found to be higher than that of normal rat liver RNA and to be similar to that of YS cell RNA. When [14C]orotic acid was injected into rats followed by the transplantation of YS cells, the radioactivities present in the livers disappeared more rapidly than those in the control rat livers. The activities of pyrimidine de novo synthesis enzymes, such as cytidine triphosphate synthetase (EC 6.3.4.2) and cytidine diphosphate reductase (EC 1.17.4.1), in YS were higher than those in both rat ascites hepatoma AH 7974 and Walker 256 carcinosarcoma, the transplantations of which did not induce increased excretion of dCyd into urine of the hosts. The activities of dCyd kinase (EC 2.7.1.10) and dCyd deaminase (EC 3.5.4.5) in YS cells were lower than those in the other two tumors investigated. The activities of cytidine triphosphate synthetase and cytidine diphosphate reductase in the livers of YS-bearing rats were elevated compared with those in the livers of rat ascites hepatoma AH 7974- or Walker 256 carcinosarcoma-bearing rats and normal rats, while the activities of dCyd kinase, 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5), and dCyd deaminase were similar between normal rat livers and tumor-bearing rat livers. These results suggest that the increased excretion of urinary dCyd in YS-bearing rats could be caused by both the stimulation of the synthesis of dCyd nucleotides and the low activity of dCyd deaminase in YS cells as well as in the host liver.

Animals↗

Possible interactions between the urea cycle and synthesis of pyrimidines and polyamines in regenerating liver.

Ornithine levels rise progressively in the liver of partially hepatectomized rats, probably as a consequence of the increased flow of metabolites through the urea cycle. Ammonia and urea concentrations in the blood and liber of partially hepatectomized animals are not significantly different from those of sham-operated rats. However, in regenerating livers, the ability to remove ammonia from the blood is close to its maximal limit. Ammonia overload leads to the production of large amounts of orotic acid and causes a marked elevation of hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity. Among the pyrimidine precursors dihydroorotic acid injections increase the activity of the enzyme while orotic acid is without effect. A peak of labeled material that corresponds to dihydroorotic acid was identified by partition chromatography of acid-soluble extracts of livers of partially hepatectomized rats previously given injections of [14-C2 bicarbonate. The labeling of dihydroorotic acid from [14-C] bicarbibate is increased in the liver of rats given injections of ornithine. Despite the difficulties involved in studies of ornithine decarbozylase activity in vivo, our results suggest that mutual interactions between urea, pyrimidine, and polyamine synthesis take place during liver regeneration.

Adrenalectomy↗

Hyperammonemia and orotic aciduria in portacaval-shunted rats.

The effect of a portacaval shunt-induced alteration in liver function on nitrogen metabolism was studied in rats. Within a few days after surgery, portacaval-shunted rats grew with an average daily gain in body weight equal to sham-operated control rats. Within 1 week after surgery, portacaval-shunted rats excreted 20% more orotic acid in their urine compared to control rats. The difference increased to 37% after 3 weeks. Plasma ammonia levels were elevated by 78% in portacaval-shunted rats compared to control rats after 2 weeks. Portacaval-shunted rats injected with a challenging load of ammonium chloride (5 mmol/kg) excreted half as much orotic acid in their urine over a 24-hour period as similarly injected controls. The simultaneous injection of 1.5 mmol/kg of arginine prevented the ammonia-induced increase in orotic acid excretion in both shunted and control rats. However, feeding rats diets supplemented with 1% arginine did not prevent the chronic hyperammonemia and orotic aciduria produced by the construction of portacaval shunts. Similar experiments with diets supplemented with 1% sodium benzoate to induce alternative pathways for nitrogen excretion were also without effect. These results are in contrast to recent clinical studies reporting the effectiveness of sodium benzoate in treating hyperammonemia in patients with urea cycle enzyme defects.

Ammonia↗

Topographical differences of RNA labelling in rat brain after intraventricular administration of labelled RNA precursors.

14C-uridine or 14C-orotic acid was injected into the third or fourth brain ventricle of adult rats. The rate of incorporation of these precursors into the RNA of various brain regions was studied by autoradiography. 0.5 hour, 1 hour, 2 hours and 4 hours after the injection of labelled uridine and/or orotic acid into the third ventricle, a very uneven labelling of different brain regions was observed. The highest grain density was found over the ventricular walls and in the closely adjacent brain tissue; the intensity of labelling decreased sharply with distance from the ventricular lumen. 24 hours after intraventricular injection, a medio-lateral gradient of grain density was no longer observed. An intense labelling of leptomeninx (especially at the base of the brain) and of ependymal cells was observed at all time intervals investigated. At time intervals 0.5-2 hours the grain density of these structures surpassed by a considerable amount the grain density over neurona, glial cells or neuropile. Two hours after the injection of 14C-orotic acid into the fourth ventricle, the grains were mainly localised over leptomeningeal cells and vessels at the base of the brain and in the adjacent narrow strip of brain tissue. The rest of the brain was only very faintly labelled.

Animals↗

[Problems in the use of radioactively marked bacteria in animal experiments. 1. Labeling of Pasteurella multocida, Pasteurella haemolytica and Salmonella dublin with eH, 14C, 32P, 59Fe, 99mTc, 125J1].

Several methods are suggested by which to use the radionuclides 3H, 14C, 32P, 59Fe, 99mTc, and 125J for labelling or doublelabelling of Pasteurella multocida, Pasteurella haemolytica, and Salmonella dublin, with particular reference being made to labelling ofr animal experiments. Suitable radioactive substrates for internal labelling in chemically defined or partially defined nutritive media include 3H-thymin, 3H-thymidine, 14C-glucose, 14C-mannose, 14C-aspartic acid, as well as 3H-uracil, 3H-uridine, 3H-orotic acid, 14C-orotic acid, 59Fe-III-citrate or chloride, and Na2H32PO4. The choise of the nuclide and substrate should by governed by the problem at hand.

Isotope Labeling↗

Studies on the coordinate activity and liability of orotidylate phosphoribosyltransferase and decarboxylase in human erythrocytes, and the effects of allopurinol administration.

A coordinate relationship between the activities of two sequential enzymes in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway has been demonstrated in human red cells. The two enzymes, orotidylate phosphoribosyltransferase and decarboxylase are responsible for the conversion of orotic acid to uridine-5'-monophosphate. Fractionation of red cells, on the basis of increase of specific gravity with cell age, has revealed that these two enzymes have a marked but equal degree of lability in the ageing red cell. It is postulated that orotidylate phosphoribosyltransferase and decarboxylase form an enzyme-enzyme complex, and that the sequential deficiency of these two enzymes in hereditary orotic aciduria may reflect a structural abnormality in this complex. In patients receiving allopurinol, the activities of both enzymes are coordinately increased, and this increase appears to be due, at least in part, to stabilization of both orotidylate phosphoribosyltransferase and decarboxylase in the ageing red cell. Allopurinol ribonucleotide is an in vitro inhibitor of orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase and requires the enzyme hypoxanthineguanine phosphoribosyltransferase for its synthesis. However, the administration of allopurinol to patients lacking this enzyme results in orotidinuria and these patients have elevated orotidylate phosphoribosyltransferase and decarboxylase activities in their erythrocytes. Evidence is presented that the chief metabolite of allopurinol, oxipurinol, with a 2,4-diketo pyrimidine ring is capable of acting as an analogue of orotic acid. It is postulated that the in vivo formation of oxipurinol ribonucleotide, catalyzed by orotidylate phosphoribosyltransferase, after allopurinol administration, leads to inhibition of orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase. This inhibition results in the urinary excretion of excessive amounts of orotidine and orotic acid, and "pseudo-substrate" stabilization of orotidylate phosphoribosyltransferase and decarboxylase.

Adenine↗

Mild orotic aciduria and uricosuria in severe trauma victims.

Hypermetabolic responses with respect to pyrimidine and purine kinetics in trauma victims were investigated during the catabolic phase before and after nutritional support. Orotic acid and uric acid excretions were measured in 32 adult, severely traumatized, hypermetabolic, and highly catabolic patients while they were receiving fluids with no calories or nitrogen. Patients were then fed intravenously amino acids and glucose or glucose alone or fed enterally for 5-6 d. Daily excretions of orotic acid, uric acid, urea, nitrogen, and creatinine were monitored. Mild orotic aciduria and uricosuria with hypouricemia were the basal-trauma responses. The significant (P = 0.001, r = 0.70) positive correlation between orotic and uric acid excretion demonstrates the parallelism between pyrimidine and purine metabolism. Feeding for 5-6 d could decrease but not readily abolish the injury-induced metabolic changes in nitrogen, pyrimidine, and purine metabolism. Glucose infusion alone may be sufficient to counteract the metabolic effects of trauma in the early flow phase of injury.

Adult↗

Liver tumour promotion by chemicals: models and mechanisms.

Tumour promotion is defined as the process whereby a carcinogen initiated organ develops focal proliferations such as nodules, polyps or papillomas, one or more of which become precursors for subsequent steps in the carcinogenic process. The available models for a sequential analysis of carcinogenesis in liver have been examined within the framework of this operational definition with respect to the models themselves as well as the promoted hepatocytes. Using initiation-promotion protocols, several promoters which differ in the biological responses they elicit have been identified. The key issue in promotion pertains to the mechanisms involved in the focal proliferation of the initiated hepatocytes. The resistant hepatocyte model and perhaps the phenobarbital model suggest that focal proliferation of the initiated hepatocyte is induced by exerting a selective mitoinhibitory effect on the surrounding cells while permitting the initiated hepatocyte to respond to the proliferative stimulus, whether it is exogenous or endogenous. The promoter orotic acid, on the other hand, is a natural precursor of pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis and is neither an inducer nor an inhibitor of liver cell proliferation but it creates an imbalance in cellular nucleotide pools. Since nucleotides are intermediates in DNA synthesis as well as in the glycosylation of proteins and lipids including that of membranes, it has been postulated that the promotional effect of orotic acid is mediated through this imbalance affecting both DNA and membranes. There is some experimental evidence for this. The importance of this hypothesis is that it raises the possibility of achieving promotion in several organs by disturbing the normal nucleotide pool patterns. Indeed orotic acid has also been found to promote duodenal cancer. The finding that hepatic nodules, regardless of how they have been promoted, exhibit a common biochemical pattern with resistance to several agents has raised some important issues. For example, what is the basis for the resistant phenotype and how is it related to cancer development? Are all initiated hepatocytes identical? If not, do all promoters exert their effect on the same population of initiated hepatocytes? Is the heterogeneity of the initiated hepatocyte population generated by the carcinogen due to the induction of more than one critical lesion: a primary lesion responsible for initiation and secondary lesions in which different types of initiated cells are selected by different promoters?(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cell Division↗

Large-scale production of UDP-galactose and globotriose by coupling metabolically engineered bacteria.

A large-scale production system of uridine 5'-diphospho-galactose (UDP-Gal) has been established by the combination of recombinant Escherichia coli and Corynebacterium ammoniagenes. Recombinant E. coli that overexpress the UDP-Gal biosynthetic genes galT, galK, and galU were generated. C. ammoniagenes contribute the production of uridine triphosphate (UTP), a substrate for UDP-Gal biosynthesis, from orotic acid, an inexpensive precursor of UTP. UDP-Gal accumulated to 72 mM (44 g/L) after a 21 h reaction starting with orotic acid and galactose. When E. coli cells that expressed the alpha1,4-galactosyltransferase gene of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were coupled with this UDP-Gal production system, 372 mM (188 g/L) globotriose (Galalpha1-4Galbeta1-4Glc), a trisaccharide portion of verotoxin receptor, was produced after a 36 h reaction starting with orotic acid, galactose, and lactose. No oligosaccharide by-products were observed in the reaction mixture. The production of globotriose was several times higher than that of UDP-Gal. The strategy of producing sugar nucleotides by combining metabolically engineered recombinant E. coli with a nucleoside 5'-triphosphate producing microorganism, and the concept of producing oligosaccharides by coupling sugar nucleotide production systems with glycosyltransferases, can be applied to the manufacture of other sugar nucleotides and oligosaccharides.

Base Sequence↗

Pyrimidine and purine metabolites in ornithine carbamoyl transferase deficiency.

Detailed biochemical studies have been carried out in a female heterozygote for ornithine carbamoyl-transferase (OCT) deficiency. Increased levels of the pyrimidines, orotic acid, uridine and uracil, were observed in plasma as well as urine by utilizing an adaptation of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Urinary clearances of these compounds were high, that of orotic acid indicating net secretion. Urinary uric acid clearance was also elevated, a finding attributed to the uricosuric effect of the orotic acid excreted concomitantly. The results in this child and her family are typical of OCT deficiency. They confirm considerable genetic heterogeneity in the biochemical as well as clinical expression in this defect.

Child↗

Analysis of the phenotypes exhibited by rudimentary-like mutants of Drosophila melanogaster.

Flies mutant for one or both of the last two enzymes of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis express a number of phenotypes that are also expressed by mutants of the first four pathway enzymes (r and Dhod-null mutants). However, r-1 flies also express two phenotypes, mottled eyes and poor viability, that are not usually expressed by r and Dhod-null flies. Chemical determinations show that orotic acid, a substrate for the fifth pathway enzyme, accumulates in r-1 individuals but not in r and wild-type individuals. Moreover, flies simultaneously mutant for r and r-1 do not express the mottled-eye phenotype, showing that r is epistatic to r-1 for this r-1-specific phenotype. When genotypically wild-type flies are cultured on a medium containing 6-azauracil, the base of a potent inhibitor of the last enzyme of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis, phenocopies are obtained that include the mottled-eye as well as the wing phenotypes of r-1 flies. These results support hypotheses that the phenotypes common to r, Dhod-null, and r-1 flies are consequences of uridylic acid deficiency, whereas the r-1-specific phenotypes result from orotic acid accumulation in flies lacking either or both of the last two enzymes of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis.

Animals↗

The de novo and salvage pathways for the synthesis of pyrimidine residues of RNA predominate in different locations within the mouse duodenal epithelium.

RNA synthesis was examined by radioautography in mouse duodenal epithelium using 3H-uridine as a tracer of the salvage pathway and 3H-orotic acid as a tracer of the de novo pathway. The incorporation of the two precursors was estimated by counting silver grains in light-microscopic and electron-microscopic radioautographs at successive levels of crypt and villus. With both precursors, silver grains were found over all epithelial nuclei, but in numbers varying by location. Thus, after 3H-uridine injection, the number of grains was high over nucleolus and nucleoplasm in the base of the crypt, declined gradually in the middle and top of the crypt, and was low along the villus. After 3H-orotic acid, the number of grains was fairly low throughout, but peaked over the nucleoplasm in lower villus cells. The 3H-uridine reaction over nucleolus and nucleoplasm in crypt cells was interpreted as synthesis by the salvage pathway of ribosomal RNA and heterogeneous RNA, respectively, whereas the 3H-orotic acid reaction over the nucleoplasm of some villus cells indicated that these cells synthesized heterogeneous RNA by the de novo pathway.

Animals↗

Metabolic aberrations associated with arginine deficiency.

The significance of dietary arginine deficiency is often unrecognized since growth and nitrogen balance are generally positive. However, inadequate intakes of dietary arginine are typically associated with dramatic alterations in intermediary metabolism in mammals. Most of the symptoms that develop following arginine deprivation can largely be accounted for by a decreased efficiency of ammonia detoxification. However, species differences in the metabolic aberrations associated with arginine deficiency are clearly evident. Therefore, selected animals fed an arginine-deficient diet may serve as a useful model for the study of chronic hyperammonemia. In rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits, the excretion of citric and orotic acid is a sensitive indicator of arginine availability. Increased orotic acid production is reduced or prevented by inclusion of the urea cycle intermediates arginine, citrulline or ornithine. However, growth in the rat is stimulated only when arginine or citrulline are included in the diet. Increased orotic biosynthesis is observed with increasing ammonia concentrations in rat, mouse and human liver and is reduced by in vitro arginine supplementation. The fatty infiltration of the rat fed an arginine-deficient diet is associated with changes in the ratio of purine to pyrimidine bases and is corrected by the dietary addition of adenine. The arginine-deficient rat should serve as a model for examining the dynamic interrelationship of the urea cycle with pyrimidine and purine biosynthesis.

Ammonia↗