p-Aminobenzoic acid as an alternative chemical biopsy agent for human hepatic UDP-glucose

Cristina Barosa; Harshitha Shanmugam; Fernando Cabral; John G Jones

doi:10.1016/j.ab.2019.113511

p-Aminobenzoic acid as an alternative chemical biopsy agent for human hepatic UDP-glucose

Anal Biochem. 2020 Feb 1:590:113511. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2019.113511. Epub 2019 Nov 21.

Authors

Cristina Barosa¹, Harshitha Shanmugam², Fernando Cabral¹, John G Jones³

Affiliations

¹ CNC - Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, UC-Biotech, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
² CNC - Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, UC-Biotech, University of Coimbra, Portugal; UNIBA- University Aldo Moro of Bari, Bari, Italy.
³ CNC - Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, UC-Biotech, University of Coimbra, Portugal; APDP-Portuguese Diabetes Association, Lisbon, Portugal. Electronic address: john.griffith.jones@gmail.com.

PMID: 31759975
DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2019.113511

Abstract

p-Aminobenzoic acid (PABA) was evaluated for noninvasive sampling of UDP-glucose in the liver. Six healthy subjects ingested 550 mg PABA during a breakfast meal. Urine was collected 0-2 and 2-4 h after PABA ingestion. N-acetyl PABA glucuronide (NAPG) was identified with 522 ± 212 μmol recovered in the 2-4 h urines. One of the subjects ingested 2 g of 98% [U-²H₇]glucose alongside PABA and the NAPG was analyzed for positional ²H-enrichment by ²H NMR following derivatization to 5-O-acetyl monoacetone glucuronolactone. In conclusion, PABA is an effective agent for the chemical biopsy of hepatic UDP-glucose in humans.

Keywords: Glucuronide; Glycogen; Stable isotope tracers; UDP-glucose.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

4-Aminobenzoic Acid / urine*
Adult
Biopsy / methods*
Female
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
Liver / metabolism*
Liver / pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Uridine Diphosphate Glucose / metabolism*
Young Adult

Substances

4-Aminobenzoic Acid
Uridine Diphosphate Glucose