Biochemistry of chronic jejunal ulcer in patients.

Separation and measurement of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), adenine-adenosine, lipid phosphates (lipid P), ribonucleic acid (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), further of Mg2+-dependent, total (Mg2+-dependent plus Na+-K+-dependent) and Na+-K+-dependent ATPases was carried out in control (non-ulcerated) and ulcerated (mucosa up to 2.0 cm around the ulcer) jejunal mucosa of 11 patients with chronic jejunal ulcer, who had undergone a Billroth II gastric resection for duodenal ulcer. The levels of ATP, ADP, AMP, sum of ATP + ADP + AMP, lipid-P, RNA (related to 1.0 mg DNA) and the activity of Mg2+-dependent, total (Mg2+-dependent plus Na+-K+-dependent) and Na+-K+-dependent ATPase (related to 1.0 mg membrane protein) were significantly higher in the lacerated jejunal mucosa than in the control one. The results indicate that (1) no circulatory damage can be found in the ulcerated jejunal mucosa; (2) a cellular hyperactivity (increased ATP breakdown and increased ATP resynthesis, increased RNA and lipid synthesis) occurs in the ulcerated jejunal mucosa; (3) the biochemical structure of cells differs significantly in the control and the ulcerated jejunal mucosa.