Effect of glucose on the plasma concentration and urinary excretion of uridine and purine bases

To examine whether glucose increases the plasma concentration of purine bas es and uridine, 75 g glucose was administered orally to eight healthy subje cts and two patients with hyperuricemia. The plasma concentration of uridin e increased by 21%. 25%, and 20% 30, 60, and 90 minutes after administratio n of glucose, respectively However, urinary excretion of uridine was not af fected, nor were the plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of purine bases (hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid), These results suggest that t he glucose-induced increase in plasma uridine was not concomitant with aden osine triphosphate (ATP) consumption-induced purine degradation, but instea d was ascribable to a uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose consumption-induced pyrimidine degradation (UDP-glucose --> UDP --> uridine monophosphate [UMP ] --> uridine). Copyright (C) 1999 by W.B. Saunders Company.