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De novo purine nucleotide synthesis in the rat small and large intestine: effect of dietary protein and purines

Journal Article · · J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr.; (United States)
This study assessed the pathway for de novo purine nucleotide synthesis in rat small intestinal and colonic mucosal cells, and determined the effects of dietary purines and protein on de novo purine nucleotide synthetic activity in the small intestine in vitro. Incubation of small intestinal mucosal scrapings with (/sup 14/C)glycine failed to show an active pathway of de novo synthesis; in contrast, the colon showed incorporation of (/sup 14/C)glycine into RNA. Rats fed a diet deficient in purines demonstrated increased incorporation of (/sup 14/C)glycine into RNA-adrenine in small intestinal mucosal cells. Measurement of glutamine-amidophosphoribosyltransferase demonstrated that, regardless of the purine content of the diet, enzyme activity in the small intestine is significantly lower than in the colon or liver. The results indicate that, in the small intestine of the rat, there is an inactive de novo pathway of purine nucleotide biosynthesis that can be stimulated when purines are omitted from the diet.
Research Organization:
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
OSTI ID:
5433370
Journal Information:
J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr.; (United States) Vol. 2:2; ISSN JPGND
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English