Release of uric acid from perfused rat heart

The release of purine compounds from the perfused rat heart under basal conditions was determined by high pressure liquid chromatography. Uric acid resulted the major degradative released into the perfusate. Lower levels of hypoxanthine, xanthine and inosine were found. The uric acid concentration showing that the rat heart is able to catabolize the purine compounds up to uric acid. No leakage of catabolic enzymes was observed and thereby the breakdown of the released nucleosides and bases proved to be intracellular. This heart ability was confirmed by the analysis of the degradation products of AMP added to the perfusion medium in the recirculating system. AMP was sequentially broken down to adenosine, then to inosine, hypoxanthine and xanthine and finally to uric acid that as end product accumulated in the perfusate.