Liver nucleotides in experimental hepatic porphyria

Abstract

The importance of purine metabolism in experimental hepatic porphyria has been reinvestigated. RNA and DNA phosphorus and acid-soluble ribonucleotides have been estimated in the liver of rats after treatment with 2-allyl-2-isopropylacetamide, 2-propyl-2-isopropylacetamide, 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydro-2,4,6-trimethyl-pyridine and hexachlorobenzene for different lengths of time. These values have been related to the porphobilinogen level in the liver and to the urinary excretion of porphyrin and porphyrin precursors. There was no evidence of impaired purine metabolism in rats with experimental hepatic porphyria: no significant change in the level of RNA and DNA and in the total adenine purine nucleotide concentration was observed in porphyric animals. A fall in liver ATP with an increase in liver AMP occurred not only after the administration of 2-allyl-2-isopropylacetamide but also after 2-propyl-2-isopropylacetamide, a compound which has been reported not to produce porphyria. The significance of these results is discussed.