Abnormalities of heme biosynthesis in experimental acute renal failure.

Several abnormalities of porphyrin metabolism have been described In patients with end-stage renal fallure. Because the heme biosynthetic pathway In acute renal failure has not been studied hitherto, an experimental model was therefore induced in 30 dogs by ligation and transection of both ureters. Forty-eight h after this procedure, anemia and uremia developed, erythrocyte aminolevullnate dehydratase activity decreased, and plasma porphyrlns Increased in these 30 dogs, whereas seven sham-operated anImals did not exhibit any alteration of these parameters. Uremic plasma showed a capacity to Inhibit