Role of Enzymatic Adaptation in Production of Experimental Alkaptonuria.

Abstract

Experimental alkaptonuria in rats maintained on a high tyrosine diet is associated with an increased ratio of the activity of the tyrosine transaminase to the activity of the homogentisate oxidase in the liver. The alkaptonuria is the result of an adaptive increase in the relative rate of homogentisate formation, in contrast to the relative decrease in the rate of homogentisate degradation believed to be responsible for hereditary alkaptonuria in man.