Urinary Purine Excretion in the X-Irradiated Dog

Abstract

Urinary excretion of purine bases by the dog following whole-body x-irradiation was studied. Ion exchange chromatography with Dowex-50 was used to measure uric acid, xanthine, hypoxanthine, guanine, 7-methylguanine and adenine. Changes in the excretion of uric acid and xanthine were noted during the first 24 hours following irradiation. Uric acid excretion was increased following doses between 150 and 500 r. Xanthine excretion increased markedly following superlethal doses but not after midlethal doses. Total purine excretion (allantoin plus uric acid) was increased slightly following irradiation and the degree of the increase was not related to the radiation dose.