Dowdle, E.B.

Eales, L.

Mathias, J

Thomas, E.

English

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'996 S.A. MEDICAL JOURNAL 25 November 1961THE METABOLISM OF GLYCINE IN EXPERIMENTAL PORPHYRIA*tEUGEt E B. DaWDLE, MoO., M.R.C.P.; LE ox EALES, M.D., ER.C.P.; JEN tFER MATHIAS, B.Se.; and ELIZABETHTHOMAS, B.Se.CSIR Renal-metabolic Research Croup, Departmel11 of Medicine, University of Cape TownOckner and Schmid 1 have recently reported a syndromeof porphyria in rats, which can be induced by feeding adiet containing 0'2% hexachlorobenzene. This syndromehas a strong biochemical resemblance to the syndrome ofacute porphyria in man, and provides a convenient experi-mental preparation for the study of disordered porphyrinsynthe i .We have induced porphyria in this way in adult malewhite rats and studied the metabolism of ClI-Iabelledglycine by liver homogenates incubated in vill·o. The liverwas incubated in a standard Warburg apparatus in thepresence of either Col or C2 labelled glycine, and therespiratory CO~ trapped on filter paper which had beenspotted with saturated KOH. The filter paper with theabsorbed radioactivity was then counted in a liquid scintil-lation counter. In this way the rate of conversion of eachof the 2 carbon atoms of glycine to C02 could be com-pared in normal and porphyric rats.The liver homogenates from the hexachlorobenzene-fedrats showed the following changes when compared with* This work was supported by a grant P.H.S. A-3997 fromthe ational Institute of Health. Public Health Service. USA.t Abstract of a paper presented at Re earch Forum, Univer-ity of Cape Town, 14 September 1961.the normal animals (the results given are the means for7 experiments):1. A depression in Q02 (normal 9,57, porphyric 6'74).2. A slower rate of con version of glycine-I-carbon toCO~ (normal 22·73 J1.A/G. dry weight of liver per 2 hours,porphyric 10·79 J1.A/G. dry weight of liver per 2 hours).3. A slower rate of conv::rsion of glycine-2-carbon toC02 (normal 6·63J1.A/G. dry weight of liver per 2 hour,porphyric 1·91 p..AfG. dry weight of liver per 2 hours).The depression of the rate of conversion of the secondcarbon atom to C02 was much greater than that of theC-I-?C02first carbon atom, with the resuif that the ratio -----C-2-?CO~was increased in the porphyric rats (normal 3,76, porphyric5,74).This suggests that in hexachlorobenzene-induced por-phyria there is a specific defect in the oxidation of thea-carbon atom of glycine to C02. It is known that thea-carbon atom of glycine can form 'active Cl fragments',and subsequent studies with CH-labelled formate have indi-cated that this oxidative defect might extend to all 'Clfragments'.REFERE 'CE1. Ocbner. R. R. and Scbmid, R. (1961): Nature (Lond.), 189, 499.IN DIE VERBYGAAN : PASSING EVENTSDr. M. Ne//en. of Cape Town, was elected a Fellow of theRoyal College of Physicians of Edinburgh at their meetingbeld this month.Dr. J. H. S. Gear, Director of the South African Institute forMedical Research, left South Africa on 4 November 1961 toattend a conference in Washington on the use of measlesvaccine. Dr. Gear will spend some time at the NationalInstitutes of Health, Bethesda, after the conclusion of the~onference.Research Forum. University of Cape Town. There will be nofurther meetings of Research Forum, Clinico-pathologicalConferences or Clinical Conferences on Thursday afternoonsuntil the commencement of the new academic year in 1962.Notices will be published in the Journal when the meetings areresumed.Correction. An error inadvertently appeared in the article 'Ananalysis of the micro-organisms responsible for pelvic infectionin Pretoria'. which appeared in the Journal of 4 November1961. [n Table Ill. on p. 906, the figures in the upper halfof the table refer to 'Alpha-haemolytic streptococci' and thosein the lower half to 'Beta-haemolytic streptococci'.* * *Non-European Home for th~ A!?ed. Under the auspices of theMoravian Church S.A.W.. the Zinzendorf Creche have starteda scheme to build a home for non-European aged at Elim inthe district of Bredasdorp. Obtaining the grants necessary toput this scheme into operation would be made possible onlyif sufficient applications are received for rooms in such ahome. The names and addresses of would-be occupants mustbe sent to the Rev. K. Bonk, 18 Ashley Street, Cape Town.telephone 41-1918.•••••••••Dr. Dudlev Si/ove. of Johannesburg, has commenced practiceas an obstetrician and gynaecologist at 520 Lister Buildings,Jeppe Street, Johannesburg. Telephones: Rooms 23-1532,residence 45-1795.The Natal Pathological Laboratory (Drs. Norman H. Walkerand Lindsay H. Walker) will be moved to new premises inSuite 711. West Walk, West Street, Durban, as from 18December 1961. The laboratory. which is privately owned, wasopened in 1921 by Dr. N. H. Walker and has been in ChanceryBuildings. Smith Street, Durban. since 1926.• • •Sowh African Paediatric Association (M.A.S.A.), Natal Sub-Group. The last meeting for 1961 will be held at the MedicalS~hool. Durban, on Tuesday 5 December 1961 at 8 p.m. Themeeting will take the form of a discussion on 'The physiologyand correction of fluid and electrolyte loss in children'; and theopening speakers will be Prof. J. V. O. Reid and Or. N. M.Mann.Members are reminded that they should notify any change ofaddress to the Secretary of the Medical Association of SouthAfrica at P.O. Box 643, Cape Town, as well as to the Registrarof the South African Medical and Dental Council, P.O. Box205. Pretoria. Failure. to advise the Association will result innon-delivery of the Journal. This applies to members proceed-ing overseas as well as those who change their addresses withinSouth Africa.Prostaph/in. With reference to the announcement whichappeared in the Journal of 4 November (p. 922), Messrs. B. L.Pharmaceuticals have advised us that supplies of Prostaphlinwill not be available in South Africa until early next year. Todate only material for clinical trials has been received by them.•••*•••••

The metabolism of glycine in experimental porphyria

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The metabolism of glycine in experimental porphyria

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