Coordinate regulation of purine nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine dehydrogenase levels in chick liver

Abstract

Previously it has been shown that the levels of xanthine dehydrogenase in chick liver can be increased by feeding high-protein diets, adenine, and allopurinol (a xanthine dehydrogenase inhibitor). Also, it has been shown that starvation increases the level of xanthine dehydrogenase in chick liver and that unsaturated fatty acids in the diet suppress the levels of xanthine dehydrogenase in the liver. Results reported here show that starvation and high-protein diets enhance the levels of purine nucleoside phosphorylase and that unsaturated fatty acids suppress the level of this enzyme. In contrast with xanthine dehydrogenase, adenine and allopurinol have no effect on purine nucleoside phosphorylase levels. These results suggest that dietary protein and unsaturated fatty acids regulate more than one enzyme involved in the production of uric acid. Levels of xanthine dehydrogenase in the pancreas can be increased by feeding and decreased by starvation or feeding unsaturated fatty acids. None of these procedures has any effect on the level of pancreatic purine nucleoside phosphorylase.