The metabolism of exogenous N-acetyl-d-glucosamine 6-O[35S]-sulphate in the normal rat

Abstract

Potassium N-acetyl-D-glucosamine 6-O[S35]-sulphate was administered intraperitoneally to male and female rats. The main feature of the metabolism of the ester was the rapid elimination of radioactivity, 82-89% of the dose appearing in the urine in the first 12 hr. Although the greater part of the radioactivity was excreted as ester sulphate, inorganic [s35]-sulphate also appeared in the urine in the 48 hr. period after injection. Organisms from the faecal flora of rat were shown to metabolize the labelled ester in vitro, with the liberation of inorganic [S35]sulphate, but available evidence suggests that the intestinal flora are not primarily responsible for the metabolism of the ester observed in vivo. Paper-chromato-graphic examination of 12 hr. and 24 hr. urine samples showed that the radioactivity associated with the ester sulphate fraction was due largely to unchanged N-acetyl-D-glucosamine 6-O[S35]-sulphate; 3 additional compounds of unknown structure and low radioactivity were also detected.