Inhibitory effect of 6-azauracil on beta-alanine metabolism in rat.

The effect of 6-azauracil on beta-alanine metabolism was investigated in vivo in the rat. Both of the enzymes beta-alanine-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (aminobutyrate aminotransferase) and D-3-aminoisobutyrate-pyruvate aminotransferase [R)-3-amino-2-methylpropionate-pyruvate aminotransferase), which are beta-alanine catabolizing enzymes from rat liver and kidney, were inactivated by 6-azauracil injection, while dihydrouracil dehydrogenase, dihydropyrimidinase, and beta-ureidopropionase, which are pyrimidine metabolizing enzymes, were not affected. The content of beta-alanine was increased, but the level of uridine and uracil in rat liver was not affected, by 6-azauracil. When a crude enzyme preparation was passed through a Sephacryl S-200 column, both enzymes could be separated from each other. beta-Alanine-oxoglutarate aminotransferase and beta-alanine-pyruvate aminotransferase activities in rat liver decreased to 27.4% and 63.9%, respectively, upon 6-azauracil injection, and those in kidney were 11.7% and 38.3%, respectively. From these findings, it is suggested that the accumulation of beta-alanine in 6-azauracil-treated rat liver might be caused by the inhibition of beta-alanine catabolizing enzymes, but not by an increase in the uridine pool nor by the activation of pyrimidine metabolism.