Preferential localization of 3H-pentosanpolysulphate to the urinary tract in rats

Endogenous glycosaminoglycans probably have a protective effect in the urinary tract, e.g. against stone formation. The synthetic sulphated polysaccharide pentosanpolysulphate (PPS) has been suggested to exert a similar protective effect e.g. by inhibition of crystallization and bacterial anti-adhesion. We have studied the distribution in rats of tritium-labelled PPS. Chromatography showed this material to contain two distinct peaks with approximate molecular weight around 2.700 (60-70%) and 1.000 (30-40%) daltons. PPS was administered orally and intravenously (5 mg/kg b.wt.) to Sprague-Dawley rats, which were killed 1 and 4 hours later, respectively, and subjected to whole-body autoradiography. Autoradiograms of sections from intravenously injected rats showed an extensive distribution of radioactivity in the whole animal, with a notable labelling of connective tissues, while bone and cartilage had low activity. There was upper intestine activity, suggesting some hepatic excretion. The most conspicuous finding, however, was the high concentration in urine and a preferential localization of activity corresponding to the lining of the urinary tract (pelvis, ureter, and bladder). The distribution was similar, but the activity lower after oral administration. In one experiment, PPS was applied intravesically under anaesthesia, with and without epithelial destruction caused by instillation of 0.4 M HCl. After vigorous rinsing, with saline, the radioactivity was still retained in the bladder wall. In other intravenous experiments, the bladder was extirpated, everted and rinsed in saline or urea of increased osmolality. High amount of radioactivity could be rinsed off by 0.5 M saline. Chromatography of the rinsing solution showed presence of both fractions of PPS previously found in the injection solution.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)