[Why Dalmatians excrete uric acid. Causes and consequences of a classical metabolic disorder]

Abstract

After introducing into developmental aspects of "Dalmatian dog research" uric acid excretion is explained on the basis of new results by the loss of a specific transport system in liver cell membranes. Therefore, uricase which is present in normal activities is supplied only to a limited extent with uric acid for the transformation into the easily soluble allantoin. As indicated by feeding experiments, the plasma urate level is increased from about 32 mumol/l (no purine intake) up to 150-200 mumol/l at very high levels of purine intake. Thus, the influence of nutrition on plasma urate level is extraordinary. The diseases urate-urolithiasis and "bronze syndrome" associated with dalmatian urate metabolism are characterized in view of the typical pattern of the diseases and of the therapeutical and prophylactical measures to be taken.